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 peak came as the Great Recession, touched off by a housing and financial crisis, rippled harshly through the global economy.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
14 June 2026 -
In 2022, North Korea harshly rejected a South Korean aid offer.—
Arthur I. Cyr,
Chicago Tribune,
10 June 2026
Adverb
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New Gallup analysis of a 2025 study with the Kettering Foundation found that, among those who listen to influencers on the left, like Hasan Piker, 71% strongly back the right to peacefully protest, compared with 49% of Democrats overall.—
Morgan Chalfant,
semafor.com,
16 June 2026
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Yet the Iranians also overcame two deficits in an exciting match, getting the tying goal from Mohammad Mohebi in the 64th minute before a strongly pro-Iranian crowd at SoFi Stadium near Los Angeles, which has the world's largest population of Iranians outside Iran.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
16 June 2026
Adverb
-
The hospital’s most severely diabetic patients were hospitalized for diabetes at less than half the rate of the area’s general population.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
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The grant allowed the hospital to offer people who have been shot, stabbed, severely assaulted or trafficked two payments of $500 each.—
Emilia Otte,
Hartford Courant,
13 June 2026
Adverb
-
Shake vigorously for up to 30 seconds, until the shaker is frosted on the outside and the drink is well chilled.—
Kate Bradshaw,
Mercury News,
9 June 2026
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The erstwhile New York resident was loudly and vigorously booed by the hometown crowd as he was shown on the jumbotron of the legendary arena.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
8 June 2026
Adverb
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During the summer, those wards, with high cathedral ceilings and large windows that did not open, would become oppressively hot.—
Cory Franklin,
Chicago Tribune,
13 July 2025
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On a misty, oppressively hot early July morning, the campus was mostly quiet, save for a small number of prospective students touring the university and people passing through the urban Philadelphia campus.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
3 July 2025
Adverb
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However, some analysts suspect the bombing was the work of Uyghur separatists angry that Thailand had forcibly repatriated scores of Uyghurs to China in July 2015.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 June 2026
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According to their attorney, Emily Trostle, the two women face a risk of torture and persecution if forcibly returned to Iran.—
Emma Bussey,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
Adverb
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Area meteorologists are unsure if this year’s thick radiation fog — known regionally as tule fog — will disperse in time for the holidays, thanks to persistent weather patterns keeping the cloud layer firmly over the region.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
10 Dec. 2025
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After a post-Kawhi Leonard purgatory that saw the club mired in mediocrity — and worse — the club now seems to have firmly established itself as a major team of the future.—
Alex Kirschenbaum,
MSNBC Newsweek,
10 Dec. 2025
Adverb
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Seksan Mongkhonkhamsao/Getty Images Few assets are protected as fiercely as a retirement account.—
Angelica Leicht,
CBS News,
15 June 2026
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Having introduced that fiercely luminous piece in 2023, Dudamel brought it back in March, placing it on the second half of a concert that began with Beethoven’s Seventh.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
15 June 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Stiffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffly. Accessed 18 Jun. 2026.
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