burly

1 of 2

adjective

bur·​ly ˈbər-lē 

burlier; burliest

: strongly and heavily built : husky

a burly man

burlily

ˈbər-lə-lē 

adverb

burliness

ˈbər-lē-nəs 

noun

burliness

2 of 2

noun

bur·​li·​ness ˈbər-lē-nəs 

plural -es

: the quality or state of being burly

Synonyms of burly

Adjective

• athletic
• powerful
• husky
• beefy
• mighty
• brawny
• hulking
• stout
• strong
• muscular
• sturdy
• hefty
• mesomorphic

Examples of burly in a Sentence

Adjective

a burly delivery man brought the furniture

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Though his onscreen appearances are brief, Momoa’s face looks fierce superimposed over a burly green body with pointed fangs and sharp claws. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 30 July 2026

My new friend is a mountain of a man — over 6-foot-6 and burly. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 29 July 2026

The boy was burly and had a remarkable strength and energy that stayed throughout his life, only faltering in the very last throes of death. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026

Morocco’s burly defender Issa Diop was nearly on top of him, but Mbappé didn’t give him time to challenge. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 10 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English

First Known Use

Adjective

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing burly

• hurly-burly

Rhymes for burly

• burley
• curly
• girlie
• girly
• hurly
• pearly
• surly

Kids Definition

burly

adjective

bur·​ly ˈbər-lē 

burlier; burliest

: strongly and heavily built

a burly man

burliness noun