Definition of terra firmanext
as in soil
the solid part of our planet's surface as distinguished from the sea and air after that nightmarish storm, the sailors were grateful to reach terra firma

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of terra firma Containers aren’t just for urban gardeners who lack space or terra firma. Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 4 May 2026 Those folks at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio were only dangling 200 feet above terra firma for ten minutes, but for this hombre, that’s ten minutes too many. Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026 Her leadership has been just as essential on terra firma, guiding SpaceX in its recent acquisition of xAI as well as the April announcement of its IPO. Arianna Huffington, Time, 15 Apr. 2026 The same equipment that keeps the Grenadier gripped up and comfortable on the terra firma also behooves its ride around town. Peter Nelson, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for terra firma
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terra firma
Noun
  • The vigils, which drew tens of thousands of people a year, were the only large-scale public commemoration on Chinese soil of the Tiananmen crackdown, discussion of which is heavily censored in mainland China.
    Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 11 Sep. 2026
  • In the panicked days after the deadliest terrorist attack on American soil, New Yorkers agreed that their city had changed forever.
    Hannah Natanson, Washington Post, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Fertile lands afforded the capacity to grow export crops that supported farmers and made plantation owners fabulously wealthy.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026
  • Before construction began, the lot of land was flat and covered with vegetation.
    Madeline Coleman, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Instead of constructing a large containment structure above ground, the company plans to place the reactor inside a borehole roughly one mile below the surface.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 Sep. 2026
  • So prohibiting this technique on safety grounds would also tend to result in higher prices.
    Jeremy Kahn, Fortune, 15 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Each of its elements began, long ago, in the loamy earth, hatching and creeping or slipping, slick and squealing, from the womb of the mind.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Gadolinite was later found to contain several previously unknown elements belonging to the rare-earth group.
    Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 9 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Terra firma.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terra%20firma. Accessed 16 Sep. 2026.

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