1
as in harshly
in a manner so as to cause loss or suffering
stiffly criticized for making such indiscreet comments in public
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strongly
in a vigorous and forceful manner
a stiffly fought battle
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stiffly
Adverb
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California law penalizes abuse of a child under 14 especially harshly.—
Andrew Dalton,
Chicago Tribune,
20 Apr. 2026 -
Liberko said she was spoken to harshly in front of others on multiple occasions, including one instance that prompted a guest to intervene, telling Barnum-Dann not to speak to her that way.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
14 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Director Matt Pfeiffer tries not to tie it too strongly to an extreme light or dark mood but does keep up a snappy pace, plays most of the angriest outbursts for laughs and takes good advantage of the openness of the Playhouse on Park stage area.—
Christopher Arnott,
Hartford Courant,
21 Apr. 2026
-
That some might strongly disagree or be offended by what the speaker says does not silence the speaker.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Advertisement Now in its eighth week, the conflict has severely disrupted global energy markets.—
Gemma Fox,
Time,
19 Apr. 2026
-
Cher is again seeking a conservatorship over her son Elijah Blue Allman, alleging that his drug addiction has severely affected his mental health and led to mounting debt.—
Kayla Hayempour,
NBC news,
19 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking vigorously after each addition.—
Kelly Brant,
Arkansas Online,
14 Apr. 2026
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For vegetable gardens and vigorously growing annuals, choose a nitrogen-heavy fertilizer labeled 10-10-10.—
Midwest Living,
Midwest Living,
14 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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The first of the four chapters is an oppressively gray-toned, narratively diffuse spy thriller, set amid the mists of what appears to be the Second World War.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
18 Dec. 2025
-
The second planet from the sun has a completely inhospitable surface, with temperatures reaching 863 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius) and a crushing pressure underneath an oppressively thick atmosphere.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
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Lyons, who joined ICE in 2007 as an immigration enforcement agent in Texas, signed off on a memo, first obtained by the Associated Press, that granted federal immigration officers sweeping powers to forcibly enter homes and make arrests without a judge’s warrant.—
Tia Goldenberg,
Los Angeles Times,
17 Apr. 2026
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Police said the male suspect came up on someone loading a vehicle at a parking spot, forcibly stole the victim's keys, and jumped into the vehicle.—
Carlos E. Castañeda,
CBS News,
17 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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That deeply constrains everything that occurs in the show’s first outing, which can’t see Mike, El, Dustin, Lucas, or Max grow as characters in ways that bump up against their arcs from the original show, or let the new addition Nikki (Odessa A’zion) become too firmly entrenched in their lives.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
24 Apr. 2026
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Verdict As tested at MSRP of $74,740, this SQ5 Prestige with Black Optic package sits firmly in the upper tier of compact luxury performance SUVs.—
Chris Jackson,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
Adverb
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Larter stars as Angela Norris, the fiercely independent wife of Billy Bob Thornton’s Tommy Norris, a character who refuses to conform to expectations.—
Deirdre Durkan,
PEOPLE,
17 Apr. 2026
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Her empathetic and fiercely protective Olivia Benson, now captain of the NYPD's Special Victim's Unit in Manhattan, has becoming the longest-reigning character in primetime TV.—
Anika Reed,
USA Today,
17 Apr. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Stiffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffly. Accessed 26 Apr. 2026.
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