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
Rick is tightly scheduled, punctilious to a fault, endowed with verbal wit that gently but firmly shapes and smooths social interactions.
—
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
But what might seem like a fleeting trend is firmly rooted in longheld culture, integrated into people’s routines and wellness practices for centuries.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 29 May 2026
That 25% rye firmly places it in the high-rye camp, while the Texas climate accelerates maturation, yielding a more expressive profile.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
The Miami Heat has stood firmly against tanking for years.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026
The pizza king’s crown remains firmly planted on his head.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 28 May 2026
The fastest way to make a CGM last the full wear period is to prep the application site carefully and press the adhesive down firmly.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2026
As a deadly, record-breaking heat wave surges across Europe, its impacts are firmly being felt by the stars sweating their way through Roland Garros.
—Thomas Schlachter, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
The structural constraints that have defined the past decade remain firmly in place.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 May 2026
Richard Brody, New Yorker, 29 May 2026
But what might seem like a fleeting trend is firmly rooted in longheld culture, integrated into people’s routines and wellness practices for centuries.
—Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 29 May 2026
That 25% rye firmly places it in the high-rye camp, while the Texas climate accelerates maturation, yielding a more expressive profile.
—Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026
The Miami Heat has stood firmly against tanking for years.
—Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 28 May 2026
The pizza king’s crown remains firmly planted on his head.
—Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 28 May 2026
The fastest way to make a CGM last the full wear period is to prep the application site carefully and press the adhesive down firmly.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 28 May 2026
As a deadly, record-breaking heat wave surges across Europe, its impacts are firmly being felt by the stars sweating their way through Roland Garros.
—Thomas Schlachter, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
The structural constraints that have defined the past decade remain firmly in place.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firmly
Adverb
-
Assuming, of course, those staffers don’t emulate Pelley and strongly and sharply disagree or challenge their boss in an internal staff meeting.—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
-
So why did this fairy tale speak to me so strongly?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Adverb
-
His soccer family raised funds to hire an immigration attorney, Kelli Fennell, who vigorously fought for his release.—
Gregory Royal Pratt,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
Mirabeau’s words in support of universal equality were addressed to the plantation owners in France’s overseas colonies who had fought vigorously to be allowed to have deputies in the National Assembly.—
Jeremy D. Popkin,
The Conversation,
28 May 2026
Adverb
-
Classified as a national security event, the tournament will see FBI and FAA teams detect, intercept and even forcibly land unauthorized drones within tightly restricted airspace, with violators facing $100,000 fines.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
-
According to police, a suspect approached a student from behind, forcibly stole her cellphone and fled.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
30 May 2026
Adverb
-
Many cities and school districts are trying hard to line up job opportunities for young people.—
Dianna Douglas,
NPR,
6 June 2026
-
With his gregarious nature and hard-drinking demeanor, Lobo is an intimidating extraterrestrial mercenary and bounty hunter, but his origin story is brutal, even by those standards.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
6 June 2026
Adverb
-
The idea is vehemently opposed by the players union.—
Jordan Fabian,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
-
His mother even suggested that what he was involved with was a cult — a notion Richards vehemently opposed.—
Alexandra Schonfeld,
PEOPLE,
5 June 2026
Adverb
-
On the other side, De la Espriella has promised to fiercely crack down on criminal groups and build 10 megaprisons, following in a similar vein as El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, in his war on gangs, which has been beset by abuses, according to findings by human rights groups.—
Megan Janetsky,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
-
When was your competitive edge last tested and sharpened — evaluated against your peers in today’s fiercely competitive talent war?—
Jim Hebets,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Firmly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firmly. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.
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