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
Now that spring has firmly cemented itself and summer lingers just ahead, transformation becomes integral and ritual begin to feel reborn.
—
Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
In 30 days, moreover, the new Iranian strait regime may already be firmly in place.
—Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Wearing rubber gloves, press down firmly on each layer to absorb as much of the urine as possible.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 21 May 2026
Thomas has spent thirty-four years firmly anchored on the Court’s right flank.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 21 May 2026
Helena Newman, auctioneer and chairman of Impressionist and modern art, elegant in a green Victoria Beckham dress, leaned firmly on specialists with indecisive phone bidders.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 20 May 2026
Reimagined with sturdier soles wrapped in soft leather and finished with chunky rounded metallic studs, two of the four styles perfectly capture Marant’s signature edgy aesthetic, while the others put her bold use of color and bohemian-inspired prints firmly on display.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 20 May 2026
Its story of five girls — all navigating preteenagerdom under the stewardship of their tragically well-meaning white dads — stands firmly on its own legs, even staring down some of its progenitors.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 May 2026
No longer the onscreen son of a leading man, Teller is now firmly in father roles.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 19 May 2026
Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 22 May 2026
In 30 days, moreover, the new Iranian strait regime may already be firmly in place.
—Robert Kagan, The Atlantic, 21 May 2026
Wearing rubber gloves, press down firmly on each layer to absorb as much of the urine as possible.
—Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 21 May 2026
Thomas has spent thirty-four years firmly anchored on the Court’s right flank.
—Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 21 May 2026
Helena Newman, auctioneer and chairman of Impressionist and modern art, elegant in a green Victoria Beckham dress, leaned firmly on specialists with indecisive phone bidders.
—Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 20 May 2026
Reimagined with sturdier soles wrapped in soft leather and finished with chunky rounded metallic studs, two of the four styles perfectly capture Marant’s signature edgy aesthetic, while the others put her bold use of color and bohemian-inspired prints firmly on display.
—Laura Jackson, Vogue, 20 May 2026
Its story of five girls — all navigating preteenagerdom under the stewardship of their tragically well-meaning white dads — stands firmly on its own legs, even staring down some of its progenitors.
—Sara Holdren, Vulture, 20 May 2026
No longer the onscreen son of a leading man, Teller is now firmly in father roles.
—Anne Thompson, IndieWire, 19 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firmly
Adverb
-
The brand is strongly associated with its famous Champion sneaker, a low-profile, minimalist canvas shoe which was created in 1916.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
19 May 2026
-
There will be no parking on site, so organizers strongly encourage attendees to use CTA and Metra to get there.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Adverb
-
The agency is detaining people who are in the middle of applying for legal status, and the Justice Department has directed hard-line immigration judges to deny bail and ICE attorneys to pursue deportations as vigorously as possible.—
Caitlin Dickerson,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
-
Israel, home to many Holocaust survivors and their relatives, has vigorously denied the claim.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Adverb
-
The scenes of security personnel forcibly removing weeping and resistant settlers deeply divided Israeli society.—
Shira Pinson,
NBC news,
17 May 2026
-
Federal immigration agents forcibly detained an American citizen in New York City in early May, prompting a Democratic congressman to call for an investigation into the incident.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
Adverb
-
Brush in hand, she is dwarfed by huge canvases within the paintings on which bare-breasted figures are in the process of emerging—a waiflike handmaiden hard at work at the feet of her American Helens of Troy.—
Naomi Fry,
New Yorker,
23 May 2026
-
Rising food costs, inflation and thin profit margins have made late-night service harder to justify, while keeping overnight shifts staffed continues to be a challenge.—
Teresa Mull,
FOXNews.com,
23 May 2026
Adverb
-
Mountbatten-Windsor has vehemently denied any and all wrongdoing in his dealings with Epstein, and has denied any personal gain from his role as a British trade envoy.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
22 May 2026
-
Both were released under investigation and have previously vehemently denied any wrongdoing.—
Callum Sutherland,
Time,
19 May 2026
Adverb
-
Perry plays Mary Cooper, Sheldon’s deeply religious and fiercely protective mom — a character originally portrayed in The Big Bang Theory by her real-life mother, Laurie Metcalf.—
Jane LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
-
The fantasy drama follows 10-year-old Bernardo, who after his father’s death, clings fiercely to his mother while secretly caring for an injured baby goat deep in the rainforest.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Firmly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firmly. Accessed 24 May. 2026.
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