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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
  • Some are condemned swiftly and harshly, others are shrugged off almost entirely.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Meta has been judged harshly for spending billions of dollars on AI without becoming a leader in the technology, so Muse’s popularity surprised some, according to Jefferies senior analyst Brent Thill.
    — Ella Chakarian, Los Angeles Times, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of harshly
Adverb
  • On Friday, the pope strongly reiterated the Church's pro-life teachings, criticizing initiatives to allow assisted dying for those who have incurable illnesses.
    — Joshua McElwee, Arkansas Online, 26 Sep. 2026
  • DeRosa will portray Natalia Morales, Francisco’s supportive wife who believes strongly in family.
    — Denise Petski, Deadline, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of strongly
Adverb
  • Black adults develop hypertension earlier and more severely than white adults; Latino communities face similar risks and barriers to diagnosis.
    — Garth Walker, Chicago Tribune, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Two years after releasing that song, in 1982, Joel was involved in a motorcycle crash that severely damaged his hand.
    — Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 28 Sep. 2026
Definition of severely
Adverb
  • Shake the jar vigorously in a circular motion to utilize centrifugal force to pull as much water as possible away from the seeds.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 14 Sep. 2026
  • Replant the area with vigorously growing groundcovers or turfgrass because any spot of bare soil is an opportunity for stiltgrass to resprout.
    — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of vigorously
Adverb
  • The summer had seen Europe endure an oppressively dry, hot summer, which had seen wildfires spring up across the continent.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of oppressively
Adverb
  • Some even pitched tents to stay at least the night — or until police forcibly removed them.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Sep. 2026
  • In response, several protesters were forcibly removed by the authorities from the building doorway, including being lifted by their arms and legs, per Reuters.
    — Charna Flam, PEOPLE, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of forcibly
Adverb
  • Xi appears to be in a stronger position, having overseen a surge in China's trade and firmly in control of supplies of rare earth minerals that give him powerful leverage.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
  • The play seems to want to flirt with the idea of Grand Guignol, even if remains more firmly rooted in the land of Samuel Beckett.
    — Chris Willman, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of firmly
Adverb
  • There, in the early nineties, the living fought fiercely among the dead.
    — Anthony Lane, New Yorker, 28 Sep. 2026
  • That is the question plaguing university leaders across the country, and nowhere is the debate raging more fiercely these days than at the University of California.
    — Jack Dolan, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 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 29 Sep. 2026.

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