Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

firm up

Word Rarity Uncommon

Frequency: Zipf frequency 4.78 in modern English

Syllables: fir-m up
IPA

13

Scrabble Score

6

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

verb

To make (tentative plans) more definite.

Transitive verb

verb

To become more definite.

Intransitive verb

verb

To make (muscles) more toned through physical exercise.

Transitive verb

verb

To become more toned through physical exercise.

Intransitive verb

verb

To become firmer in consistency.

Intransitive verb

Example Sentences

"Can we firm up plans for the barbecue Sunday?"
"1977-1980, Lou Sullivan, personal diary, quoted in 2019, Ellis Martin, Zach Ozma (editors), We Both Laughed In Pleasure Just got a call from Falces office firming up my hospital date."
"Sometime soon (if it isn't happening already), Labour leader Sir Kier Starmer and his team will be firming up plans for what they want to do in the crucial first 100 days of a new government."
"Let me know as soon as your plans firm up."
"He hopes to firm up his biceps a bit before meeting the girls."
"After weeks of working out, his biceps finally began to firm up a bit."

Usage

Inflected Forms

firms up (present, singular) firming up (participle, present) firmed up (participle, past) firmed up (past)

Questions

What does firm up mean?: To make (tentative plans) more definite.

How to pronounce firm up

Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “firm up”.
Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling () so you know which sounds to aim for.
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Repeat and practice — Say “firm up” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.