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
  • And then, the organization's chief operating officer, Kevin Lamour, harshly came out against the plan, releasing a statement to the Associated Press, saying FIFA's staff had been blindsided by it.
    — Rafael Nam, NPR, 31 July 2026
  • Like other senior bankers, Sehnaoui was harshly criticized following Lebanon's historic economic meltdown in 2019, when most people lost access to their money.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 29 July 2026
Definition of harshly
Adverb
  • Even when the material was strongly disturbed, the electronic order rebuilt itself smoothly across the sample.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Its themes of environmental fragility, social inequality, labour and belonging resonate strongly with the identity of our region.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of strongly
Adverb
  • Silica particles cause lungs to fight back with fibrotic tissue that builds and builds, severely inhibiting the ability to breathe.
    — Howard Berkes, NPR, 5 Aug. 2026
  • This kind of telescope is ideal for solar work, being a good size aperture to reveal fine detail, but not so large as to be severely affected by daytime atmospheric turbulence.
    — Damian Peach, Space.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of severely
Adverb
  • Protect Both Academic Freedom and Institutional Neutrality Universities should vigorously defend the freedom of individual faculty and students to pursue controversial ideas.
    — David Rosowsky, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The easy solution is to remove the most vigorously growing plants to give the rest a fighting chance.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of vigorously
Adverb
  • 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
  • Jackie searches for Madi, wondering if her sister is a victim or a killer while maneuvering an oppressively demanding office and reflecting on her own previous crimes.
    — Oline H. Cogdill, Sun Sentinel, 20 July 2026
Definition of oppressively
Adverb
  • Investigators later observed that the employee had bruising, facial scratches and a substantial area of hair forcibly pulled from her scalp.
    — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 9 Aug. 2026
  • No one has been charged, Israel has not investigated his killing, and Israeli settlers continue to rampage throughout the West Bank, terrorizing and forcibly displacing Palestinians from their homes.
    — Kamel Musallet, Sun Sentinel, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of forcibly
Adverb
  • That puts Alaska, Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut and parts of New York firmly in play, with the deepest views in Fairbanks, Alaska, and northern Maine.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
  • The company hopes that this will help move the longtime model firmly into even more luxurious territory.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of firmly
Adverb
  • David is brilliant—sharp, empathetic and fiercely dedicated to his people.
    — Janine Schindler, Forbes.com, 10 Aug. 2026
  • Wisconsin is famous for its Friday fish fry, and regulars are fiercely loyal to their preferred local restaurants.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 9 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 11 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of stiffly for Spanish Speakers

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