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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Trump harshly criticized Powell throughout his tenure as chair, frequently attacking the Fed’s interest-rate decisions and urging the central bank to cut borrowing costs more aggressively.—
Leah Willingham,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026 -
Trump harshly criticized Powell throughout his tenure as chair, frequently attacking the Fed’s interest-rate decisions and urging the central bank to cut borrowing costs more aggressively.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
31 May 2026
Adverb
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Assuming, of course, those staffers don’t emulate Pelley and strongly and sharply disagree or challenge their boss in an internal staff meeting.—
Josef Adalian,
Vulture,
3 June 2026
-
So why did this fairy tale speak to me so strongly?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2026
Adverb
-
Finally, if Anthropic is the third to go public, remember the market will be severely depleted of cash.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
31 May 2026
-
The explosion appears to have severely damaged the launch structure, LC36, along with the loss of the rocket.—
Space.com Staff,
Space.com,
30 May 2026
Adverb
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His soccer family raised funds to hire an immigration attorney, Kelli Fennell, who vigorously fought for his release.—
Gregory Royal Pratt,
Chicago Tribune,
29 May 2026
-
Mirabeau’s words in support of universal equality were addressed to the plantation owners in France’s overseas colonies who had fought vigorously to be allowed to have deputies in the National Assembly.—
Jeremy D. Popkin,
The Conversation,
28 May 2026
Adverb
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Fortunately, this spell of hot temps will be a generally drier heat — not necessarily oppressively humid like is typical for New England.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
19 May 2026
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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
Adverb
-
Classified as a national security event, the tournament will see FBI and FAA teams detect, intercept and even forcibly land unauthorized drones within tightly restricted airspace, with violators facing $100,000 fines.—
Richard Winton,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
-
According to police, a suspect approached a student from behind, forcibly stole her cellphone and fled.—
City News Service,
Daily News,
30 May 2026
Adverb
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Rick is tightly scheduled, punctilious to a fault, endowed with verbal wit that gently but firmly shapes and smooths social interactions.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
29 May 2026
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But what might seem like a fleeting trend is firmly rooted in longheld culture, integrated into people’s routines and wellness practices for centuries.—
Anna Cafolla,
Vogue,
29 May 2026
Adverb
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On the other side, De la Espriella has promised to fiercely crack down on criminal groups and build 10 megaprisons, following in a similar vein as El Salvador’s president, Nayib Bukele, in his war on gangs, which has been beset by abuses, according to findings by human rights groups.—
Megan Janetsky,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
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When was your competitive edge last tested and sharpened — evaluated against your peers in today’s fiercely competitive talent war?—
Jim Hebets,
Forbes.com,
1 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Stiffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffly. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
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