terra firma

noun

ˌter-ə-ˈfər-mə How to pronounce terra firma (audio)
Definition of terra firmanext
as in soil
the solid part of our planet's surface as distinguished from the sea and air after that nightmarish storm, the sailors were grateful to reach terra firma

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of terra firma Containers aren’t just for urban gardeners who lack space or terra firma. — Southern Living Editors, Southern Living, 4 May 2026 Those folks at Six Flags Fiesta Texas in San Antonio were only dangling 200 feet above terra firma for ten minutes, but for this hombre, that’s ten minutes too many. — Matt Reigle Outkick, FOXNews.com, 1 May 2026 Her leadership has been just as essential on terra firma, guiding SpaceX in its recent acquisition of xAI as well as the April announcement of its IPO. — Arianna Huffington, Time, 15 Apr. 2026 The same equipment that keeps the Grenadier gripped up and comfortable on the terra firma also behooves its ride around town. — Peter Nelson, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026 See All Example Sentences for terra firma
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terra firma
  1. soil
  2. land
  3. ground
  4. earth
Noun
  • After about a month of consistently moist soil in a warm place with bright, indirect light, your chrysanthemum cutting should be rooted.
    — Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Stronger downdraft winds and loose, dry soil can impact how much dust is lifted into the air.
    — Brandi D. Addison, AZCentral.com, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of soil
Noun
  • Those payloads give crews a visible way to assess where training rockets land during live-fire exercises.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2026
  • Instead, he’s spent August anxiously watching the orange skies from his house in the northern Nevada hills through two consecutive and adjacent wild-land fires, the Bug and Hawk Fires.
    — Anya Kamenetz, Curbed, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of land
Noun
  • The decision to present Nico to the St James’ crowd ahead of the West Bromwich Albion Carabao Cup tie was inspired, perpetuating the positivity brought about by the training-ground announcement and opening-day Liverpool draw.
    — George Caulkin, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The Permanent Court of Arbitration (PCA) in the Hague on Monday ruled in Pakistan's favor over the 1960 Indus Water Treaty, saying the historic pact remains fully binding and that India had no valid grounds for ending or suspending it.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of ground
Noun
  • In the middle of the BioCharger, within the geometric, connected plates of glass, is a Tesla coil, which ionizes the surrounding 12 glass tubes that hold six noble gases, the gases in the earth’s atmosphere.
    — Rebecca Leib, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
  • His first responded to Trump’s April 2025 imposition of a 145 percent tariff on imports from China; Beijing then halted global exports of rare-earth permanent magnets, another essential input for car seats, windshield wipers, motors, and cameras.
    — Chad P. Bown, Foreign Affairs, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of earth

Browse Nearby Words

terraces
terra firma
terrain
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Cite this Entry

“Terra firma.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/terra%20firma. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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