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 Yet the sensation of a work that, in translation from one medium to another, no longer defies gravity but sort of roughly plummets back down to terra firma can’t easily be shaken off. — David Fear, Rolling Stone, 18 Nov. 2025 On terra firma, most of the available supply of helium-3 comes as a by-product of nuclear weaponry via the radioactive decay of tritium, a rare isotope of hydrogen that boosts the power of thermonuclear bombs. — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 14 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 See All Example Sentences for terra firma
Recent Examples of Synonyms for terra firma
  1. soil
  2. land
  3. ground
  4. earth
Noun
  • The family fought for three hours last July Fourth to stay alive after more than a summer’s worth of rain fell overnight on bone-dry soil, pushing the waterway from about 3 feet to 30 feet in just 45 minutes.
    — Alisha Ebrahimji, CNN Money, 6 July 2026
  • The animals damage agricultural land, consume native vegetation, contribute to soil erosion and compete with livestock for forage.
    — Amber Harding OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 July 2026
Definition of soil
Noun
  • The oppressive heat wave lands at the same time the nation is observing 250 years since our Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • The transfer of 136 acres just south of the community of Westport will mark the first time land managed by the California Department of Transportation has been returned to Indigenous tribes.
    — Alex Wigglesworth, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
Definition of land
Noun
  • Changes included a longer project timeline, uncertainty over whether the developers could provide community amenities such as a pool and less profitable ground lease terms, according to the district.
    — Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Now that space is a market and not just a proving ground, the engineering that was once the whole game is only the cost of entry — and as in any maturing market, most ventures will not make it past that threshold.
    — Charlotte Kiang, Forbes.com, 9 July 2026
Definition of ground
Noun
  • The Minions doing a Prometheus to earth was eventually cut, however.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 9 July 2026
  • Those living roots carry minerals down into the earth to create a thriving subterranean ecosystem–fungi, earthworms, nitrogen–biodiversity–on this storied 1,000 acre plot of land; the largest tea farm in Korea on this tiny island.
    — Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 8 July 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 9 Jul. 2026.

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