as in strongly
in a vigorous and forceful manner
stomped his feet firmly to get the snow off his boots
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Recent Examples of firmly
April 20 – May 20 Your mood may be harder to hide when outside expectations press too firmly.
—
Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 May 2026
The Cardigan Once relegated to the back of office chairs as a precautionary layer, the cardigan has firmly reestablished itself as a key component of the modern work wardrobe.
—Lauren Fisher, Footwear News, 15 May 2026
Turner wasted one of the Phillies’ two ABS challenges trying to overturn a strike-three call on a pitch firmly in the zone.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 15 May 2026
Blood is only the beginning in Marion Le Corroller’s Species, which follows firmly in the trail pioneered by Julia Ducournau but brings its own thoughts to the woman-in-a-man’s-world body-horror genre.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Your eyes are very firmly anchored within the orbit by muscles, connective tissue and surrounding fat.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Debi Appleton lives in the eastern part of Columbus Park, on Pacific Avenue, now firmly entrenched in the 6th District.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2026
And the template over which Coach Joel Quenneville presided with the Chicago Blackhawks – which ultimately resulted in three Stanley Cup titles for that franchise – seems firmly in place in Orange County.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 15 May 2026
Sixth place could be enough to qualify for next season’s Champions League, if Aston Villa end up winning the Europa League, and the Seagulls are firmly in the equation.
—Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 May 2026
The Cardigan Once relegated to the back of office chairs as a precautionary layer, the cardigan has firmly reestablished itself as a key component of the modern work wardrobe.
—Lauren Fisher, Footwear News, 15 May 2026
Turner wasted one of the Phillies’ two ABS challenges trying to overturn a strike-three call on a pitch firmly in the zone.
—Gabrielle Starr, Boston Herald, 15 May 2026
Blood is only the beginning in Marion Le Corroller’s Species, which follows firmly in the trail pioneered by Julia Ducournau but brings its own thoughts to the woman-in-a-man’s-world body-horror genre.
—Damon Wise, Deadline, 15 May 2026
Your eyes are very firmly anchored within the orbit by muscles, connective tissue and surrounding fat.
—Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
Debi Appleton lives in the eastern part of Columbus Park, on Pacific Avenue, now firmly entrenched in the 6th District.
—Ben Wheeler, Kansas City Star, 15 May 2026
And the template over which Coach Joel Quenneville presided with the Chicago Blackhawks – which ultimately resulted in three Stanley Cup titles for that franchise – seems firmly in place in Orange County.
—Jim Alexander, Oc Register, 15 May 2026
Sixth place could be enough to qualify for next season’s Champions League, if Aston Villa end up winning the Europa League, and the Seagulls are firmly in the equation.
—Graham Ruthven, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for firmly
Adverb
-
The brand is strongly associated with its famous Champion sneaker, a low-profile, minimalist canvas shoe which was created in 1916.—
Jaden Thompson,
Footwear News,
19 May 2026
-
There will be no parking on site, so organizers strongly encourage attendees to use CTA and Metra to get there.—
Sara Tenenbaum,
CBS News,
19 May 2026
Adverb
-
The agency is detaining people who are in the middle of applying for legal status, and the Justice Department has directed hard-line immigration judges to deny bail and ICE attorneys to pursue deportations as vigorously as possible.—
Caitlin Dickerson,
The Atlantic,
15 May 2026
-
Israel, home to many Holocaust survivors and their relatives, has vigorously denied the claim.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
Adverb
-
The scenes of security personnel forcibly removing weeping and resistant settlers deeply divided Israeli society.—
Shira Pinson,
NBC news,
17 May 2026
-
Federal immigration agents forcibly detained an American citizen in New York City in early May, prompting a Democratic congressman to call for an investigation into the incident.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
16 May 2026
Adverb
-
The right idea should expand your world without making your life harder to manage.—
Tarot.com,
Chicago Tribune,
17 May 2026
-
Being shut out of public spaces and opportunities makes reintegration harder, not easier.—
Shianne LeClaire,
Hartford Courant,
17 May 2026
Adverb
-
Patel, who has vehemently denied the outlet’s reporting, has since sued The Atlantic in a $250 million defamation lawsuit.—
Brooke Migdon,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
-
The scion of a prominent South Carolina legal dynasty, Murdaugh has vehemently denied killing his wife and younger son since their bodies were discovered in their estate.—
Daniel Arkin,
NBC news,
13 May 2026
Adverb
-
Perry plays Mary Cooper, Sheldon’s deeply religious and fiercely protective mom — a character originally portrayed in The Big Bang Theory by her real-life mother, Laurie Metcalf.—
Jane LaCroix,
PEOPLE,
17 May 2026
-
The fantasy drama follows 10-year-old Bernardo, who after his father’s death, clings fiercely to his mother while secretly caring for an injured baby goat deep in the rainforest.—
Anna Marie de la Fuente,
Variety,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Firmly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/firmly. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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