firm

UK: /ˈfɜː^rm/ US: /fɝm/ ,(fûrm)

Inflections of 'firm' (adj):

firmer

adj comparative

firmest

adj superlative

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

firm¹ /fɜrm/   adj. andadv., -er, -est, v. 
adj. 

1. not soft or not giving in when pressed:
   a firm mattress.
2. securely in place:
   Put another nail to make it firm.
3. not shaking or trembling;
   steady:
   a firm handshake.
4. not giving in to change or fluctuation;
   fixed;
   steadfast:
   a firm decision.
5. indicating firmness or determination:
   a firm expression on his face.

v. [no object* ~ (+ up)]

6. to become firm:
   The pudding firmed up in the freezer.

adv. 

7. firmly:
   Prices held firm today on the stock market.

firm•ly, adv. 
firm•ness, n. [uncountable]

firm² /fɜrm/   n. [countable]

1. Business a commercial company;
   business:
   She started her own firm.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

firm¹  (fûrm), adj., -er, -est, v., adv., -er, -est. 
adj. 

1. not soft or yielding when pressed;
   comparatively solid, hard, stiff, or rigid:
   firm ground; firm texture.
2. securely fixed in place.
3. not shaking or trembling;
   steady:
   a firm voice.
4. not likely to change;
   fixed;
   settled;
   unalterable:
   a firm belief.
5. steadfast or unwavering, as persons or principles:
   firm friends.
6. indicating firmness or determination:
   a firm expression.
7. Economics not fluctuating much or falling, as prices, values, etc.:
   The stock market was firm today.

v.t. 

8. to make firm;
   tighten or strengthen (sometimes fol. by up):
   to firm up one's hold on something.
9. to steady or fix (sometimes fol. by up):
   to firm up prices.

v.i. 

10. to become firm or fixed (sometimes fol. by up):
    Butter firms by churning.
11. (of prices, markets, etc.) to recover;
    become stronger, as after a decline (sometimes fol. by up):
    Stock prices firmed again today.

adv. 

12. Business firmly:
    He stood firm.

• Latin
• Middle French
• Latin firmus; replacing Middle English ferm
• 1300–50

firm′ly, adv. 
firm′ness, n. 
Synonyms

• 1. 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.
• 2. fast, stable, immovable.
• 4. established, confirmed.
• 5. determined, immovable, staunch, reliable.

Antonyms

• 1. yielding, soft.

firm²  (fûrm), n. 

1. Business a partnership or association for carrying on a business.
2. the name or title under which associated parties transact business:
   the firm of Smith & Jones.

• Latin firmāre to strengthen, confirm, derivative of firmus firm¹
• Spanish firma signature (hence, legal name of a partnership, etc.), noun, nominal derivative firmar to sign
• 1565–75

Synonyms

• 1. company, business, concern, house.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

firm / 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

adverb

1. in a secure, stable, or unyielding manner: he stood firm over his obligation to pay

verb

1. (sometimes followed by up) to make or become firm
2. (intransitive) (of a horse) to shorten in odds

Etymology: 14th Century: from Latin firmus

ˈfirmly adverb

ˈfirmness noun

firm / fɜːm/ noun

1. a business partnership
2. any commercial enterprise
3. a team of doctors and their assistants
4. a gang of criminals
5. a gang of football hooligans

Etymology: 16th Century (in the sense: signature): from Spanish firma signature, title of a partnership or business concern, from firmar to sign, from Latin firmāre to confirm, from firmus firm