STIFFLY Synonyms: 134 Similar and Opposite Words

stiffly

adverb

Definition of stiffly

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

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

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

Management tried to modernize a restaurant brand built around nostalgia, underestimated how strongly customers identified with its image, and eventually reversed the change after a fierce backlash.

— Jim Osman, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
The Norwood firefighters union strongly applauded the legislative push, noting that the vote follows years of advocacy by community members who refused to let the issue fade away.

— Lance Reynolds, Boston Herald, 1 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

Many of those who had streamed into the capital after Wangchuk was forcibly removed from Jantar Mantar in Delhi had endured long train journeys.

— Asim Ali, Time, 1 Aug. 2026
Dozens of Flock cameras have been forcibly disabled in recent weeks, with many people cheering on the vigilantes.

— T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 30 July 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

Figures such as Assemblyman Carl DeMaio from San Diego County, an aggressive fiscal hawk who excels at dominating conservative media and raising grassroots funds, command a fiercely loyal base.

— Dain Fitzgerald, The Washington Examiner, 1 Aug. 2026
Best known for playing the flawed but fiercely loyal Fiona Gallagher on the Showtime dramedy Shameless, Rossum has always gravitated towards imperfect heroines.

— Brianne Tracy, PEOPLE, 1 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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“Stiffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffly. Accessed 8 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of stiffly

adverb

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