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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But, after serving more than 30 years of a natural life sentence, Modrowski won back his freedom in summer 2024 when a judge ruled he had been too harshly punished and resentenced him to a 60-year term.—
Christy Gutowski,
Chicago Tribune,
13 Feb. 2026 -
Recent changes narrowing the kinds of tasks agencies can perform when funding lapses also mean that shutdowns have the potential to hit a larger number of Americans more harshly than before, Abigail André, the executive director of the Impact Project, told me.—
Toluse Olorunnipa,
The Atlantic,
4 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Camping in an open setting during a thunderstorm is strongly discouraged.—
Bay Area Weather Report,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Traditional Lenten food Lenten eating habits revolve strongly around the abstinence of meat, particularly on Fridays, Ash Wednesday, and Good Friday.—
Isa Almeida,
Oklahoman,
17 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Herb said the industry plans for an average winter, not a mild or a severely cold one.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Otherwise, utility crews will be forced to prune it severely for safety’s sake.—
Beth Botts,
Chicago Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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During ultra-fast impacts, the metal’s atoms oscillate so vigorously that these physically obstruct the path of deformation, pushing back against the incoming force.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
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Cons On the other hand, exercising too vigorously before bed can disrupt and delay sleep for some people.—
Helen Carefoot,
Flow Space,
13 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
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
-
Social service agencies could authorize case workers to forcibly enter a home and check up on people's children.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Trump backed down, for now, on his threat to forcibly annex the country in large part because of how poorly his plans were received domestically.—
Vivian Salama,
The Atlantic,
14 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Zest the limes first, then roll them firmly on the counter a few times before halving and juicing.—
Martha Stewart,
Martha Stewart,
20 Feb. 2026
-
On Thursday Crockett criticized Talarico for not standing firmly against the super PAC ads.—
Gromer Jeffers Jr,
Dallas Morning News,
19 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Idaho lawmakers fiercely debated a proposal to allow people to sue businesses and local governments that allow transgender people to use the restrooms aligning with their gender identity.—
Sarah Cutler,
Idaho Statesman,
17 Feb. 2026
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They are fiercely prevented from ever being together by Tita’s mother.—
Stephen Schaefer,
Boston Herald,
15 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Stiffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffly. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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