as in strongly
in a vigorous and forceful manner
stomped his feet firmly to get the snow off his boots
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Recent Examples of firmly
Choose fragrant Ruby Red grapefruits that feel heavy for their size; before juicing, roll them firmly on the counter to break up the juice sacs inside.
—
Martha Stewart, 10 Apr. 2026
But at least in its immediate aftermath, investigations of Tuesday’s shooting appear to be firmly in the hands of the federal government, without any clear interventions by state officials.
—Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2026
On the other is a more traditional faction — Ben Shapiro, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin and the Turning Point USA orbit — that, while firmly right wing, has drawn clearer lines around overt conspiracy and antisemitism.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
Thirteen-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows pull in light from the avenue, while custom millwork and high-end finishes keep the tone firmly in the luxury lane.
—Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
On the topic of foreign policy, Shapiro offered criticism firmly in the mainstream of fellow Democrats.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 8 Apr. 2026
After the day’s activities are done—including an evening news event with media—the crew’s attention will also be firmly on the critical final chapter of the mission.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
Press firmly into crushed cornflakes and shake to remove excess.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 8 Apr. 2026
To earn points, the ball must be placed firmly down on the ground in the opponent’s try zone.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Martha Stewart, 10 Apr. 2026
But at least in its immediate aftermath, investigations of Tuesday’s shooting appear to be firmly in the hands of the federal government, without any clear interventions by state officials.
—Sacbee.com, 9 Apr. 2026
On the other is a more traditional faction — Ben Shapiro, Sean Hannity, Mark Levin and the Turning Point USA orbit — that, while firmly right wing, has drawn clearer lines around overt conspiracy and antisemitism.
—Kevin Dolak, HollywoodReporter, 9 Apr. 2026
Thirteen-foot ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows pull in light from the avenue, while custom millwork and high-end finishes keep the tone firmly in the luxury lane.
—Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
On the topic of foreign policy, Shapiro offered criticism firmly in the mainstream of fellow Democrats.
—Samantha-Jo Roth, The Washington Examiner, 8 Apr. 2026
After the day’s activities are done—including an evening news event with media—the crew’s attention will also be firmly on the critical final chapter of the mission.
—Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
Press firmly into crushed cornflakes and shake to remove excess.
—Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 8 Apr. 2026
To earn points, the ball must be placed firmly down on the ground in the opponent’s try zone.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 8 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firmly
Adverb
-
Hezbollah strongly rejected the talks.—
Tucker Reals,
CBS News,
15 Apr. 2026
-
By detecting when atoms absorb the laser light most strongly, scientists can use the laser as a metronome.—
Andrei Derevianko,
The Conversation,
14 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Florida has vigorously fought any effort to force health administrators to pay for additional in-home nursing, or to implement other remedies that might reduce the state’s reliance on institutions.—
Carol Marbin Miller,
Miami Herald,
11 Apr. 2026
-
The group composes its own sacred music, lilting songs that prompt women in green-and-white wraparounds to vigorously shake their bodies.—
Rodney Muhumuza,
Los Angeles Times,
10 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
During the colonial era, slaves were forcibly baptized here before being sold.—
Mathew Schmalz,
The Conversation,
9 Apr. 2026
-
United Airlines passenger David Dao was forcibly removed from an overbooked flight at O’Hare International Airport by airport police.—
Kori Rumore,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
For Rory McIlroy, the trek toward getting a second Masters championship got a little bit harder.—
Rod Beard,
AJC.com,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Some hurts Stars defenseman Miro Heiskanen never returned because of a lower-body injury after being knocked hard into the boards by Hartman late in the first period.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
Kaori’s mother vehemently denied that her fiancé was the target, and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez partially walked that back Tuesday when announcing grand jury indictments against the two suspects.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Bambaataa has vehemently denied those allegations.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
But Elham, a contentious and fiercely competitive student, suspects that Marjan’s zeal for anglophone culture, including Hollywood romantic comedies, masks a resentment for the Iranian life she is now stuck with.—
Theater Critic,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Meta is desperate to regain momentum in the fiercely competitive AI market following the disappointing debut of its latest open-source models last April.—
Jonathan Vanian,
CNBC,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Firmly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firmly. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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