as in freezes
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 firms (up)
Verb
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What happens if a debt collector garnishes your wages and freezes your bank account?—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
10 Apr. 2026 -
Water plants well going into winter and provide deep irrigation before the ground freezes.—
Kim Toscano,
Southern Living,
10 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Whether schools catch up, whether employers reverse the junior hiring freeze, and whether Washington produces anything resembling a workforce policy will determine whether the current anxiety hardens into something permanent.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
16 Apr. 2026
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The initially soft capsule is further processed in a specialized structure called the ventral pedal gland near the muscular foot of the whelk, which cross-links the capsule proteins and hardens the structure before it is laid.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
30 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The men’s Run 900 Ultra Black Shorts feature integrated Rheon technology, a reactive polymer that remains soft at rest but stiffens under pressure.—
Alexandra Harrell,
Footwear News,
10 Apr. 2026
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The woman—Rose, apparently—stiffens slightly.—
Danielle Parker,
CBS News,
2 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Firms (up).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firms%20%28up%29. Accessed 25 Apr. 2026.
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