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
-
Hail is basically made up of balls of frozen rain—during thunderstorms, as warm air carries rain droplets high up into the atmosphere, the rain freezes.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
29 Apr. 2026 -
Hopson cuts, washes, steams, fries, freezes then refries his Kennebec potatoes for an ultra crisp and fluffy bite.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Traditional bridge construction in Iran, Oman, and Afghanistan often involved the use of sarooj, a special hydraulic mortar (a mortar that hardens on contact with water) made of lime, clay, sand, and, in some recipes, gypsum.—
Encyclopedia Britannica,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
8 May 2026
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Lightly scrub grout or tile lines before buildup hardens further.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Miami Herald,
30 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Golden State’s schedule stiffens with an upcoming trip to New York and Indiana.—
Nathan Canilao,
Mercury News,
14 May 2026
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The rings arise because the metal softens as the can compresses, then stiffens, then compresses and stiffens again, repeating the pattern until the compression is complete—akin to something called homoclinic snaking.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
2 May 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 16 May. 2026.
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