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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The difficulty lies in the fact that setting boundaries does not mean exercising authority harshly.—
Jose Luis Gonzalez Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026 -
But its conditions have been harshly criticized by l awyers, families and human rights groups, who have persistently denounced the mistreatment of detainees since the center opened 11 months ago, during the Atlantic hurricane season.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
17 June 2026
Adverb
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While the city writ large is divided on Mamdani, Democratic primary voters strongly favor the 34-year-old democratic socialist who won in an upset a year earlier, according to Bradley Honan, a Democratic pollster.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
23 June 2026
-
Where assortments were once strongly driven by trends, today the starting point is the customer.—
Luisa Zargani,
Footwear News,
23 June 2026
Adverb
-
This reliance on ad budgets severely restricts the company in the mind of the market.—
Jim Cramer,
CNBC,
21 June 2026
-
Without that asset, the Heat’s package is severely degraded.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
20 June 2026
Adverb
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Angry fingers jab at the California Public Utilities Commission, perhaps more vigorously than at the utilities themselves.—
Teri Sforza,
Oc Register,
21 June 2026
-
My office will continue to vigorously prosecute defendants who pose serious threats to our community’s safety, especially our children.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 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
-
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
-
Officers determined a female was walking north on Soto Road when an unknown male walking south grabbed the victim and forcibly moved her against her will about 20 feet, police said.—
Brandon Downs,
CBS News,
20 June 2026
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The woman who survived the rape described in a jury trial how Mystikal, whose real name is Michael Lawrence Tyler, had punched, choked, and forcibly raped her at his home near Baton Rouge, according to local TV station WBRZ.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
17 June 2026
Adverb
-
The second is silent, perhaps buried in papers, perhaps with their head firmly implanted in the sand.—
Samantha Gloede,
Fortune,
19 June 2026
-
Australian defender Cameron Burgess couldn’t get out of the way and the ball was firmly knocked into the goal for a 1-0 US lead in the 11th minute.—
David Close,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
Adverb
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By the end of the decade, these issues will be actively and fiercely debated in mainstream society—in the courtroom, on the campaign trail, in the media, around the dinner table.—
Rob Toews,
Forbes.com,
22 June 2026
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The uninitiated might be surprised that Game Changer has amassed a fiercely loyal, very active online fan base.—
Simon Thompson,
HollywoodReporter,
21 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Stiffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffly. Accessed 24 Jun. 2026.
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