stout

1 of 2

adjective

ˈstau̇t 

1

: strong of character: such as

a

: brave, bold

a stout leader

He has a stout heart.

b

: firm, determined

Their lawyer put up a stout defense.

also : obstinate, uncompromising

2

: physically or materially strong:

a

: sturdy, vigorous

… a stout and hearty man who had lifted an anchor in his day.

—Henry David Thoreau

b

: staunch, enduring

c

: sturdily constructed : substantial

… that house had good stout walls …

—Laura Ingalls Wilder

3

: forceful

a stout attack

also : violent

a stout wind

4

a

: having a large body that is wide with fat or muscles

b

: broad in proportion to length : large in diameter

a stout fly

a stout bird's bill

stoutish

ˈstau̇-tish 

adjective

stoutly adverb

stoutness noun

stout

2 of 2

noun

1

: a very dark, full-bodied ale with a distinctive malty flavor that is typically brewed with unmalted roasted barley

Stout is a darker, heavily hopped ale that has a creamy head in the glass …

—Anthony Dias Blue

2

a

: a person with excess flesh on the body

b

: a clothing size designed for large figures

Synonyms of stout

Adjective

• sturdy
• hardy
• strong
• rugged

Choose the Right Synonym for stout

strong, stout, sturdy, stalwart, tough, tenacious mean showing power to resist or to endure.

strong may imply power derived from muscular vigor, large size, structural soundness, intellectual or spiritual resources.

strong arms

the defense has a strong case

stout suggests an ability to endure stress, pain, or hard use without giving way.

stout hiking boots

sturdy implies strength derived from vigorous growth, determination of spirit, solidity of construction.

a sturdy table

people of sturdy independence

stalwart suggests an unshakable dependability.

stalwart environmentalists

tough implies great firmness and resiliency.

a tough political opponent

tenacious suggests strength in seizing, retaining, clinging to, or holding together.

tenacious farmers clinging to an age-old way of life

Examples of stout in a Sentence

Adjective

He has a stout heart.

His lawyer put up a stout defense in court.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Eventually, investigations suggested that the wreck occurred due to brittle steel or soft steel, Lynn explained, that was not flexible enough and the ship was not stout enough on top of the severe waves. —Sarah Moore, Freep.com, 4 Nov. 2025

The Falcons also abandoned the run game against a stout Patriots run defense, throwing 37 times and running only 14 times. —Josh Kendall, New York Times, 3 Nov. 2025

Noun

The American appears too strong, with an array of good teams and stout resumes. —Jon Wilner, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Nov. 2025

Start with a glass of stout and the Hungarian mushroom soup before moving on to either the pork shank, prime rib (the best in town) or Amish chicken for an entree. —Keith Pandolfi, Cincinnati Enquirer, 24 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Anglo-French estut, estout, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German stolz proud; perhaps akin to Old High German stelza stilt — more at stilt

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1677, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing stout

• milk stout

Rhymes for stout

• bout
• clout
• doubt
• drought
• flout
• gout
• grout
• kraut
• lout
• out
• pout
• rout

Kids Definition

stout

1 of 2 adjective

ˈstau̇t 

1

: strong of character : brave, bold

2

: physically or materially strong : sturdy, vigorous

3

: forceful

a stout attack

4

: bulky in body : overweight

stoutly adverb

stoutness noun

stout

2 of 2 noun

: a dark heavy beer