as in freezing
to become physically firm or solid
wait for the modeling clay to firm up before handling the finished pot
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firming (up)
Verb
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Those weeks saw students, pensioners, veterans, doctors and teachers stand in freezing temperatures around giant stages, teaching politicians that this was not a crowd to lead, but one to follow.—
Nick Spicer,
NPR,
1 Oct. 2025 -
These smaller varieties are well-suited for container growing because of their compact growth habit and smaller blooms, but pots don’t provide insulation against freezing temperatures, so special care will need to be taken.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Options for intervention range from monitoring the person or hardening a target like a school, Amman said, or, in more extreme cases, invoking red flag laws or involuntarily committing someone.—
Ian Berry,
CNN Money,
22 Sep. 2025
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Wilson’s absolutist rhetoric makes nuanced immigration reform harder by alienating potential allies and hardening opposition.—
Letters to the Editor,
Oc Register,
14 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Afterwards, a squaring solution—a powdery mixture of water and a gel-like batter used in the decorative cake business—is applied to the inside of the hat’s crown to act as a stiffening agent.—
Eric Twardzik,
Robb Report,
3 Oct. 2025
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China has been a consistent source of stress for Apple, given the stiffening smartphone competition and its huge manufacturing presence in the country.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
15 Sep. 2025
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Cite this Entry
“Firming (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firming%20%28up%29. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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