sinewy

adjective

sin·​ewy ˈsin-yə-wē 

also ˈsi-nə-

1

: full of sinews: such as

a

: tough, stringy

sinewy meat

b

: strong

sinewy arms

2

: marked by the strength of sinews

… a demanding sinewy intelligence …

—Helen Dudar

Synonyms of sinewy

• muscular
• strong
• powerful

Examples of sinewy in a Sentence

The lion has a sinewy body.

a sinewy piece of meat

Recent Examples on the Web

Alongside their sinewy body form, the ancestors of seagrass carried with them from dry land two useful features that no sea creature possessed. —David George Haskell, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026

Under spirited sprints around the Algarve region’s sinewy mountain roads, the range depletion wasn’t terrible, losing about 20 or 25 percent after 90 miles of pushing. —Sean Evans, Robb Report, 24 Mar. 2026

The best songs here are lean and sinewy showcases for his backing band, the Dark Clouds. —Stephen M. Deusner, Pitchfork, 11 Mar. 2026

The sinewy champion then cradled his wife, Presleigh, in his arm and kissed her at the front of the 18th green, along the water’s edge. —Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 9 Mar. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sinewy

adjective

sin·​ewy ˈsin-yə-wē 

also ˈsin-ə-

1

: full of sinews : stringy

sinewy meat

2

: strong sense 1

sinewy arms