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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Recent changes narrowing the kinds of tasks agencies can perform when funding lapses also mean that shutdowns have the potential to hit a larger number of Americans more harshly than before, Abigail André, the executive director of the Impact Project, told me.—
Toluse Olorunnipa,
The Atlantic,
4 Feb. 2026 -
The plaintiffs allege that Black employees in the office were disciplined more harshly than their colleagues, denied accommodations and subjected to escalating retaliation after raising concerns about Johnson’s leadership.—
Chaya Tong,
Austin American Statesman,
3 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
There’s a dusty cloud surrounding the central, contracting star, and that cloud is strongly suspected to be disk-like, with outflows and gaps in the dust in the two directions perpendicular to the disk.—
Big Think,
Big Think,
11 Feb. 2026
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Adding in these 20-year findings strongly suggests that engagement in cognitive training does no harm and may confer substantial benefit.—
Mary Walrath-Holdridge,
USA Today,
10 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
More severely, two-thirds of Americans believe the federal government is intentionally withholding information, according to a recent poll.—
Kaitlyn Buss,
Boston Herald,
8 Feb. 2026
-
Three years before the balcony collapse that severely injured 10 people, the condo's property manager hired engineers and contractors.—
Gillian Stawiszynski,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
Always begin by scraping the frosting into a mixing bowl and stirring vigorously or mixing with a mixer until smooth and creamy.—
Sheri Castle,
Southern Living,
7 Feb. 2026
-
Maybe someday those who claim to champion the Constitution will do so more often, more consistently and more vigorously.—
Steven Greenhut,
Oc Register,
6 Feb. 2026
Adverb
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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
-
The second planet from the sun has a completely inhospitable surface, with temperatures reaching 863 degrees Fahrenheit (462 degrees Celsius) and a crushing pressure underneath an oppressively thick atmosphere.—
Keith Cooper,
Space.com,
1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
-
There is strong evidence that shows the elderly woman was forcibly removed from her home in Tucson, Arizona.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
8 Feb. 2026
-
One produced a handgun, while the other forcibly removed the juvenile’s property, according to police, with the two then running to a nearby SUV which fled the area.—
Aurora Beacon-News,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
The year is 1961, and the jazz legend (played flawlessly by Norway’s Anders Danielsen Lie) is firmly in the grip of a raging heroin addiction, having acquired a taste for the destructive street drug made inexplicably romantic in postwar boho circles.—
Damon Wise,
Deadline,
13 Feb. 2026
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Rooted firmly in rock, her sound reflects inspiration from No Doubt and The Rolling Stones while maintaining a style that is distinctly her own.—
Kristen Wisneski,
Billboard,
13 Feb. 2026
Adverb
-
They’re forced to decide if there is room for love in their fiercely competitive world.—
Katie Campione,
Deadline,
9 Feb. 2026
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Cadillac has become the first American auto giant to step into the fiercely competitive world of Formula One with a dedicated team.—
Duarte Dias,
CBS News,
9 Feb. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Stiffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffly. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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