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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Instead, anglers should kill the fish by freezing it or placing it on ice for an extended period, the agency states.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
9 June 2026 -
Locally temperatures may drop to near or just below freezing early Wednesday morning.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
9 June 2026
Verb
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Enterprises that spent years hardening endpoints, strengthening identity controls and building sophisticated security operations centers are now layering AI capabilities on top of existing environments without adapting the controls needed to govern them securely.—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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Dark lunar maria are visible sprawling across the moon's surface, where lava once rose to the surface before hardening to form enormous basaltic plains.—
Anthony Wood,
Space.com,
1 June 2026
Verb
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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
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Chronic inflammation damages blood vessels, stiffening them and increasing resistance.—
Jennifer Berger,
Verywell Health,
1 June 2026
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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 13 Jun. 2026.
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