Meaning & use
stridently
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Meanings
adverbnot comparable
In a loud, harsh and forceful way, especially when stating an opinion or complaint.
Grammar: Modifies a verb: she argued stridently.
Patterns
- argue stridently
- stridently opposed to something
She stridently defended her plan at the meeting.
The fans stridently demanded a refund.
He was stridently opposed to any change.
adverbnot comparable
With a high, sharp and unpleasant sound.
Grammar: Modifies a sound verb: the alarm rang stridently.
Patterns
- ring stridently
- call stridently
The alarm rang stridently in the empty hall.
A whistle blew stridently from the platform.
The birds called stridently at dawn.
Common combinations
- argue stridently
- They argued stridently about the budget.
- stridently critical
- The article was stridently critical of the mayor.
- insist stridently
- She insisted stridently that she was right.
- ring stridently
- The bell rang stridently at noon.
Synonyms and how they differ
- loudly
- Loudly describes volume only, while stridently adds a harsh, unpleasant edge.
- shrilly
- Shrilly stresses a high-pitched sound, whereas stridently can describe forceful opinions too.
- vociferously
- Vociferously suggests noisy, determined protest, but does not stress harshness as stridently does.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: stridently or strictly?
stridently vs strictly
Strictly means in a way that follows rules exactly; it has nothing to do with loud sounds.
Practice
The protesters ___ shouted their demands outside the building.
Choose one answer.
Stridently means loudly and harshly, which fits forceful shouting. Softly and politely are the opposite.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “stridently”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.