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 There were plenty of close encounters of the animal kind on terra firma. Robin Catalano, Chicago Tribune, 14 May 2025 Horseback riding, tennis and falcon encounters fill the bill back on terra firma, as well as copious hiking trails just steps from your outdoor patio, with views of the Point Vicente Lighthouse and the Terranea Sea Salt Conservatory. David Weiss, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025 During her first press conference back on terra firma this week, Williams suggested this orbital Olympics for aero-robots might also help NASA discover its astronauts, coders and inventors of the next generation. Kevin Holden Platt, Forbes.com, 3 Apr. 2025 Some aircraft have coffee machines on board (for example, Flexjet’s fleet has Nespresso machines), but anything fancier than that might be better on terra firma. Nicole Trilivas, Travel + Leisure, 25 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for terra firma
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terra firma
Noun
  • Surfactants are molecules with hydrophilic (water-loving) and hydrophobic (water-repelling) ends, which interact with water and soil particles, aiding water infiltration and distribution in soil.
    Mary Marlowe Leverette, Southern Living, 16 Aug. 2025
  • Yet Tebas’ desire to play games on American soil is exactly the kind of endeavor that makes two-club domination harder to escape.
    Ian Nicholas Quillen, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • With Hasan in Gaza is an aching witness to the beauty of this land and the struggle of its people, neither of which may soon be recognizable at all.
    Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Grimsley, who oversees the Choctaw tribe’s drone efforts and the piece of land where companies come to test and fly, was one of the people involved in drafting the report the FAA ultimately used to write the rule, and has been following this closely over the last 20 years of his career.
    Jessica Mathews, Fortune, 6 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Other airlines are also implementing sustainable practices, like fuel-efficient routes and electric ground vehicles.
    Zach Wichter, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Even so, one of Black Sabbath’s most famous collections manages to gain a bit of ground and even return to one list, as Americans aren’t done honoring the late rocker’s legacy.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Hendrix sipping an Evian water bottle, Chessy entering with a plate of chocolate chip pancakes, and where on earth is tie-dye girl?
    Angie Martoccio, Rolling Stone, 7 Aug. 2025
  • At one point, a new single joins the crew, Lee Seung-chan, whose dating experience far exceeds everyone else’s — he’s dated one person for about 100 days in his 31 years on earth.
    Alejandra Gularte, Vulture, 6 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Terra firma.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terra%20firma. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.

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