firm

¹ American  

[furm] / fɜrm /

adjective

firmer, firmest

1. not soft or yielding when pressed; comparatively solid, hard, stiff, or rigid.

   firm ground;

   firm texture.

   Antonyms:

   soft, yielding

2. securely fixed in place.

   Synonyms:

   immovable, stable, fast

3. not shaking or trembling; steady.

   a firm voice.

4. not likely to change; fixed; settled; unalterable.

   a firm belief.

   Synonyms:

   confirmed

5. steadfast or unwavering, as persons or principles.

   firm friends.

   Synonyms:

   reliable, staunch, immovable, determined

6. indicating firmness or determination.

   a firm expression.

7. not fluctuating much or falling, as prices, values, etc..

   The stock market was firm today.

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verb (used with object)

1. to make firm; tighten or strengthen (sometimes followed byup ).

   to firm up one's hold on something.

2. to steady or fix (sometimes followed byup ).

   to firm up prices.

verb (used without object)

1. to become firm or fixed (sometimes followed byup ).

   Butter firms by churning.

2. (of prices, markets, etc.) to recover; become stronger, as after a decline (sometimes followed byup ).

   Stock prices firmed again today.

adverb

firmer, firmest

1. firmly.

   He stood firm.

firm ² American  

[furm] / fɜrm /

noun

1. a partnership or association for carrying on a business.

   Synonyms:

   house, concern, business, company

2. the name or title under which associated parties transact business.

   the firm of Smith & Jones.

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firm ¹ British  

/ fɜːm /

adjective

1. not soft or yielding to a touch or pressure; rigid; solid

2. securely in position; stable or stationary

3. definitely established; decided; settled

4. enduring or steady; constant

5. having determination or strength; resolute

6. (of prices, markets, etc) tending to rise

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adverb

1. in a secure, stable, or unyielding manner

   he stood firm over his obligation to pay

verb

1. (sometimes foll by up) to make or become firm

2. (intr) horse racing (of a horse) to shorten in odds

firm ² British  

/ fɜːm /

noun

1. a business partnership

2. any commercial enterprise

3. a team of doctors and their assistants

4. slang

   1. a gang of criminals

   2. a gang of football hooligans

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Related Words

Firm, hard, solid, stiff are applied to substances that tend to retain their form unaltered in spite of pressure or force. Firm often implies that something has been brought from a yielding state to a fixed or elastic one: An increased amount of pectin makes jellies firm. Hard is applied to substances so resistant that it is difficult to make any impression upon their surface or to penetrate their interior: as hard as a stone. Solid is applied to substances that without external support retain their form and resist pressure: Water in the form of ice is solid. It sometimes denotes the opposite of hollow: a solid block of marble. Stiff implies rigidity that resists a bending force: as stiff as a poker.

Other Word Forms

• firmly
  adverb
• firmness
  noun

Etymology

Origin of firm¹

First recorded in 1300–50; from Latin firmus; replacing Middle English ferm(e), from Middle French ferm(e), from Latin

Origin of firm²

First recorded in 1565–75; from Spanish firma “signature” (hence, legal name of a partnership), noun derivative of firmar “to sign,” from Latin firmāre “to strengthen, confirm,” derivative of firmus firm ¹

Explanation

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.

Example Sentences

Even so, the U.A.E. is looking to firm up its relationship with Israel, as is Bahrain, partly as a hedge against Iranian threats.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

Spirit forced other carriers to "price differently," said Bradley Akubuiro, a partner at advisory firm Bully Pulpit International.

From Barron's • May 9, 2026

“They’re deeply integrated into the industry,” said Michael Dunne, chief executive officer of the automotive-consulting firm Dunne Insights, which focuses on China.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026

Now they already account for nine percent of European sales overall and 14 percent of electric vehicle sales, according to the consulting firm Dataforce.

From Barron's • May 8, 2026

I eased the spade under the firm leaves of a potato plant, watching the earth come away in thick clods.

From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff

Related Words

• adamant
• consistent
• determined
• explicit
• flat
• persistent
• resolute
• specific
• stable
• staunch
• steadfast
• steady
• strict
• strong
• tenacious
• unflinching
• unshakable
• unwavering
• unyielding