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
Adverb
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In a press conference later in the day, Mayor Frey, 44, harshly condemned the actions of ICE in his city and pushed back against the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) claims that the agent involved in the fatal shooting acted in self defense.—
Rachel McRady,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026 -
One of his non-Jewish primary opponents, Palm Coast City Council member Charles Gambaro, harshly criticized Fine’s Gaza remarks and declared that Gambaro, too, would seek AIPAC’s endorsement.—
Andrew Lapin,
Sun Sentinel,
5 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Therefore, seeing multiple green aircraft together strongly suggests serial (repeat) production, not one-off prototypes.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
10 Jan. 2026
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The United Arab Emirates has been accused by human rights groups of directly supplying the RSF with weaponry, an allegation the country strongly denied, while Saudi Arabia and Egypt have allied with the SAF.—
ByGuy Davies,
ABC News,
9 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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In the ninth century, a severely disabled woman was buried, her feet bound, in an annex of the church in Elsau, outside Zürich.—
Rivka Galchen,
New Yorker,
7 Jan. 2026
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The time is never right to severely chop off your crape myrtle.—
Leanne Potts,
Better Homes & Gardens,
7 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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The vines climb to about 6 feet tall, growing vigorously even through summer heat.—
Miranda Crowell,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Jan. 2026
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Prevost asks the new Pope, and the two men, beaming, shake hands vigorously.—
Paul Elie,
New Yorker,
5 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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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
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On an oppressively hot Friday in July, plumes of smoke curl up from Arnolds Field.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
15 Aug. 2025
Adverb
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Even if someone were able to go in and forcibly clean out her apartment, it could just get hoarded again.—
Clio Chang,
Curbed,
7 Jan. 2026
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Dressed in athleisure, Maduro appears composed, almost casual—closer to a figure en route to a tennis match than one forcibly removed from power.—
Debbie Millman,
Time,
7 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Instead, dip a cloth or cotton balls in acetone and blot firmly on the remaining polish.—
Emily Benda Gaylord,
The Spruce,
11 Jan. 2026
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His other go-to bogeyman, Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell, is now firmly in his lame-duck era as his term ends this spring.—
Allison Morrow,
CNN Money,
11 Jan. 2026
Adverb
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Americans argued fiercely about whether to intervene abroad, but largely shared the same moral vocabulary.—
Philip Martin,
Washington Post,
7 Jan. 2026
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Coleman will play Cheyenne Barnes, a fiercely confident hairstylist whose bold sexuality and razor-sharp wit command attention, masking the emotional scars she’s carried for years.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
5 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Stiffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffly. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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