firm

/fərm/
/fəm/
IPA guide

Other forms: firms; firmer; firmest; firmed; firming

The adjective firm describes something that's strong and unwavering. If your great Aunt Martha had a firm belief that children should be seen and not heard, you and your siblings might have spent your childhood driving her crazy.

Something that is solid can also be described as firm. When you take a stick of butter out of the fridge, it's firm, and it needs to soften before you cream it with sugar. Another definition for the adjective firm is unwavering or loyal. You might be a firm supporter of your favorite baseball team, even though they haven't made it to a World Series in more than twenty years.

Definitions of firm
  1. adjective
    not soft or yielding to pressure
    “a firm mattress”
    “the snow was firm underfoot”
    synonyms: solid
    hard
    resisting weight or pressure
  2. adjective
    possessing the tone and resiliency of healthy tissue
    “firm muscles”
    synonyms:
    healthy
    having or indicating good health in body or mind; free from infirmity or disease
  3. adjective
    strong and sure
    “a firm grasp”
    synonyms: strong
    forceful
    characterized by or full of force or strength (often but not necessarily physical)
  4. adjective
    (of especially a person's physical features) not shaking or trembling
    “his voice was firm and confident”
    “a firm step”
    synonyms:
    steady
    not subject to change or variation especially in behavior
  5. adjective
    securely fixed in place
    “the post was still firm after being hit by the car”
    synonyms: fast, immobile
    fixed
    securely placed or fastened or set
  6. verb
    become taut or tauter
    “Your muscles will firm when you exercise regularly”
    synonyms: tauten
    see moresee less
    type of:
    tighten
    become tight or tighter
  7. verb
    make taut or tauter
    synonyms: tauten
    see moresee less
    type of:
    fasten, tighten
    make tight or tighter
  8. adjective
    not subject to revision or change
    “a firm contract”
    “a firm offer”
    synonyms:
    settled
    established or decided beyond dispute or doubt
  9. adjective
    securely established
    “holds a firm position as the country's leading poet”
    synonyms:
    secure
    free from danger or risk
  10. adjective
    marked by firm determination or resolution; not shakable
    “firm convictions”
    “a firm mouth”
    synonyms: steadfast, steady, stiff, unbendable, unfaltering, unshakable, unwavering
    resolute
    firm in purpose or belief; characterized by firmness and determination
  11. adjective
    not liable to fluctuate or especially to fall
    “stocks are still firm”
    synonyms: steady, unfluctuating
    stable
    resistant to change of position or condition
  12. adjective
    unwavering in devotion to friend or vow or cause
    “a firm ally”
    synonyms: fast, loyal, truehearted
    faithful
    steadfast in affection or allegiance
  13. adverb
    with resolute determination
    “you must stand firm”
    synonyms: firmly, steadfastly, unwaveringly
  14. noun
    the members of a business organization that owns or operates one or more establishments
    synonyms: business firm, house
    see moresee less
    types:
    show 23 types...
    hide 23 types...
    corp, corporation
    a business firm whose articles of incorporation have been approved in some state
    accounting firm
    a firm of accountants who provide accounting and auditing services for a fee
    consulting company, consulting firm
    a firm of experts providing professional advice to an organization for a fee
    publisher, publishing company, publishing firm, publishing house
    a firm in the publishing business
    dealer
    a firm engaged in trading
    law firm
    a firm of lawyers
    auction house
    a firm that conducts auctions
    conglomerate, empire
    a group of diverse companies under common ownership and run as a single organization
    large cap
    a corporation with a large capitalization
    small cap
    a corporation with a small capitalization
    newspaper, newspaper publisher, paper
    a business firm that publishes newspapers
    magazine, magazine publisher
    a business firm that publishes magazines
    car dealer
    a firm that sells and buys cars
    computer dealer
    a firm that sells and buys computers
    jewelry dealer, jewelry store
    a firm that sells and buys jewelry
    truck dealer
    a firm that sells and buys trucks
    close corporation, closed corporation, private corporation, privately held corporation
    a corporation owned by a few people; shares have no public market
    closely held corporation
    stock is publicly traded but most is held by a few shareholders who have no plans to sell
    shell corporation, shell entity
    a company that is incorporated but has no assets or operations
    FDIC, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation
    a federally sponsored corporation that insures accounts in national banks and other qualified institutions
    FHLMC, Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation, Freddie Mac
    a corporation authorized by Congress to provide a secondary market for residential mortgages
    FNMA, Fannie Mae, Federal National Mortgage Association
    a federally chartered corporation that purchases mortgages
    Boy Scouts of America
    a corporation that operates through a national council that charters local councils all over the United States; the purpose is character building and citizenship training
    type of:
    business, business concern, business organisation, business organization, concern
    a commercial or industrial enterprise and the people who constitute it
Pronunciation
US
/fərm/
UK
/fəm/
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘firm'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family