stiffly

adverb

Definition of stifflynext
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

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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
  1. harshly
  2. strongly
  3. severely
  4. vigorously
  5. oppressively
  6. forcibly
  7. firmly
  8. fiercely
Adverb
  • Hair in Sports Women are often judged more harshly than male counterparts in many aspects of life, but this is especially true in sports.
    — Audrey Noble, Vogue, 15 Oct. 2026
  • But their complaints come as Lecornu's government seeks to rein in public spending to appease skittish bond markets, which have punished France more harshly than many of its peers this year, amid a global bond market rout.
    — Jenni Reid, CNBC, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of harshly
Adverb
  • The final agreement did not include changes to that practice and was ultimately not voted on by the Legislature after the last-minute deal was strongly criticized, particularly by assembly members.
    — Stephen Hobbs, Sacbee.com, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Netflix strongly encourages employees to take a portion of their pay in the form of equity, but with shares down more than 45 percent from a year ago employees who have done so are feeling the pain.
    — Mia Galuppo, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of strongly
Adverb
  • Many of the children's bodies were severely decomposed, with only 26 able to be identified, and investigations into the other deaths are ongoing.
    — Jefferson Kahinju Reuters, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
  • At least one case of congenital measles led to a death; the first death reported in the current outbreak was in a newborn baby boy, who died immediately after birth while his mother was severely ill with measles.
    — Beth Mole, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of severely
Adverb
  • Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt and whisk vigorously for 30 to 60 seconds, until the mixture thickens and lightens in color.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Argue vigorously, passionately, and with the courage of your convictions.
    — Rabbi Bruce D. Forman, Sun Sentinel, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of vigorously
Adverb
  • The summer had seen Europe endure an oppressively dry, hot summer, which had seen wildfires spring up across the continent.
    — Anthony Wood, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
  • After a bit of a reprieve from an oppressively hot summer, another heat wave is set to scorch Southern California this week.
    — Grace Toohey, Los Angeles Times, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of oppressively
Adverb
  • There was also significant vandalism to the school's library, with books, furniture, and electronic equipment destroyed and a door forcibly opened.
    — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 16 Oct. 2026
  • The Houthis had also been forcibly recruiting large numbers of children and Ethiopian migrants, using them as human shields, spies and for dangerous mine-planting.
    — Harriet Marsden, TheWeek, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of forcibly
Adverb
  • The index has lost almost 40% since its June high and is firmly entrenched in bear market.
    — Justina Lee,Sean Conlon, CNBC, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The reality is the situation in Nashville couldn't possibly be any worse, with the franchise firmly sitting at rock bottom.
    — Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of firmly
Adverb
  • In some ways, the engagement may seem like a departure from Disney’s reputation for being fiercely protective of its brand.
    — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
  • The sell-side tug of war Despite the dire credit picture, equity sentiment remains fiercely divided, driving this week's 17% bounce from the lows.
    — Michael Khouw, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of fiercely
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.

Browse Nearby Words

stiffing
stiffly
stiff-necked
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Cite this Entry

“Stiffly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stiffly. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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