stiffly

adverb

Definition of stifflynext
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

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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
  1. harshly
  2. strongly
  3. severely
  4. vigorously
  5. oppressively
  6. forcibly
  7. firmly
  8. fiercely
Adverb
  • Republican lawmakers have largely remained silent about the conditions on the Lincoln – not harshly criticizing the administration, but not defending it either.
    — Janet Loehrke, USA Today, 17 Aug. 2026
  • At the final stop, so to speak, before Antarctica, the weather is harshly volatile, and in the wilderness surrounding the few small cities and towns, civilization dwindles almost to nothing.
    — Ana Karina Zatarain, New Yorker, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of harshly
Adverb
  • For the record, Duffy has strongly disclaimed any interest in the White House, which is, after all, just a bunch of boring grownups talking.
    — Jon Allsop, New Yorker, 23 Aug. 2026
  • While Mundo Deportivo later reported Balde was motivated to fight for his place, his omission from the squad now strongly indicates an exit.
    — Tom Sanderson, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2026
Definition of strongly
Adverb
  • Shipping traffic remains severely restricted, demonstrating that many shipowners are not willing to risk a possible Iranian attack and underscoring Tehran’s ongoing leverage over Hormuz.
    — Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • One pedestrian was killed and another was severely injured during a hit-and-run crash in South Los Angeles on Monday, according to Los Angeles police.
    — Dean Fioresi, CBS News, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of severely
Adverb
  • Why aren’t cabinet officials or high-ranking military officers vigorously and publicly opposing them?
    — Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 20 Aug. 2026
  • But the legality of their use has been vigorously debated as a possible violation of the laws of war, and they have never been deployed at scale.
    — Simon Shuster, The Atlantic, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of vigorously
Adverb
  • After a bit of a reprieve from an oppressively hot summer, another heat wave is set to scorch Southern California this week.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Survey respondents said their dwellings stayed oppressively hot even at night because overcrowding and poor construction trapped the heat.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 24 July 2026
Definition of oppressively
Adverb
  • Only when war between the United States and Japan broke out the next year were Japanese schools in Hawaii forcibly closed.
    — H.M.A. Leow, JSTOR Daily, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The orders have been a recurring flashpoint in these deals, with legal complaints alleging officials in Equatorial Guinea and Ghana forcibly sent third-country deportees to their home nations in violation of the orders.
    — Adrian Elimian, semafor.com, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of forcibly
Adverb
  • Puka’s possible suspension combined with his tender groin pushes Chase firmly ahead.
    — Jess Bryant, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026
  • In a onetime battleground state that has shifted firmly to the right, FloridaDemocrats took dueling approaches to win statewide for the first time since 2018.
    — Teo Armus, Washington Post, 19 Aug. 2026
Definition of firmly
Adverb
  • Reductions Many of the valuation cuts were fiercely opposed by Fritz Kaegi, the outgoing Cook County assessor.
    — Alex Nitkin, Chicago Tribune, 23 Aug. 2026
  • Emmy voters are not a sentimental bunch, and the categories are stacked and fiercely competitive.
    — Clayton Davis, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of fiercely
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

stiffing
stiffly
stiff-necked
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Cite this Entry

“Stiffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffly. Accessed 26 Aug. 2026.

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