firming (up)

verb

Definition of firming (up)next
present participle of firm (up)
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)
  1. freezing
  2. hardening
  3. stiffening
Verb
  • Room-temperature operation Quantum computers mostly depend on massive, freezing dilution refrigerators.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 21 July 2026
  • Within hours of the vote, opposition parties petitioned the High Court of Justice, which issued a temporary injunction freezing its implementation.
    — Tal Shalev, CNN Money, 17 July 2026
Definition of freezing
Verb
  • An aortic dissection is a life-threatening condition involving a tear in the main artery from the heart, due in this case to what is commonly known as hardening of the arteries.
    — Duarte Dias, CBS News, 12 July 2026
  • Over time, this prevents excessive soap scum and residue from hardening on the surface.
    — Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026
Definition of hardening
Verb
  • Major media companies operating traditional linear networks have been under pressure in recent years amid stiffening competition from large tech rivals as programming migrates to streaming.
    — Dade Hayes, Deadline, 18 June 2026
  • Volkswagen’s premium Audi brand has lost much of its luster in recent years, dragged down by trade tariffs, stiffening competition and a patchy electric-vehicle roster.
    — William Wilkes, Bloomberg, 8 June 2026
Definition of stiffening
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

firmed (up)
firming (up)
firmly
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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 23 Jul. 2026.

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