STOCKY Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

stocky

adjective

ˈstä-kē

Definition of stocky

as in stout

being compact and broad in build and often short in stature the stocky boxer's strength and speed more than make up for his opponent's longer reach

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 stocky His 6-foot, 205-pound stocky frame could give him a physicality edge, and his receiving ability could add an intrigue. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 16 July 2026 The stocky species, up to 11 inches long, sometimes out-competes or eats other lizards, including brown anoles. — Rylan Digiacomo-Rapp, The Orlando Sentinel, 13 July 2026 But, Mitchell said, the change doesn’t change there, also with a desire to re-sculpt his stocky 6-foot build. — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 10 July 2026 Groundhogs are stocky and part of the squirrel family, and can climb trees, and swim. — Geoff Williams, USA Today, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for stocky

Recent Examples of Synonyms for stocky

Adjective

Atlanta is playing without Za'Darius Smith, the team leader with 2 1/2 sacks who suffered a concussion/neck injury in Week 4, but its pass rush remains stout.

— AJC.com, AJC.com, 12 Oct. 2026
Patterson, a Hall of Fame coach known for stout defenses, was supposed to help Riley address the Trojans’ biggest weakness, but the turnaround hasn’t been swift or smooth.

— Jordan Puente, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of stout

Adjective

The shoes balanced on a slender yet sturdy stiletto heel measuring around three inches.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 16 Oct. 2026
The result has been sturdy economic growth, even as lower-income and even middle-income households have continued to struggle under stubborn inflation and declining earnings.

— Rob Wile, NBC news, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of sturdy

Adjective

The red car then pulled up in front of the victim’s building, and the suspect, who police described as a heavyset woman dressed all in black, stepped out of the vehicle.

— Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 25 Sep. 2026
Pictures of Isaiah Harrison from 2024 show a bubbly, heavyset boy with a toothy smile and full cheeks.

— Rebecca Ellis, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026

Definition of heavyset

Adjective

Meanwhile, nano-hyaluronic acid and hydrolyzed hyaluronic acid draw in and hold onto moisture, leaving skin feeling plump and supple without weighing it down.

— Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 7 Oct. 2026
The brothel is huge and painted black, like a plump beetle luxuriating in the sun, and the opulence of its internal decoration is matched by Kate herself.

— Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of plump

Adjective

The tangle of stubby points stood out like overgrown thumbs, and the down-curving prongs on either side of his head were at least a foot long.

— Al Dawson, Outdoor Life, 15 Oct. 2026
The dodo, with its waddling gait, its stubby wings, its goggly eyes, and its preposterous beak, has none of the power, grace, or charisma of those other animals—but that’s part of its charm.

— Jeffrey Kluger, Time, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of stubby

Adjective

The thickset Armand Assante was a phlegmatic Odysseus, but Greta Scacchi, as Penelope—who has so little to say in the poem—became the physical embodiment of anger, and Isabella Rossellini was a teasing Athena.

— David Denby, New Yorker, 21 June 2026
The passenger door opened and a thickset man with a short beard and mustache got out.

— Jamie Quatro, Harper's Magazine, 2 Aug. 2024

Definition of thickset

Adjective

Her husky voice made Pugh, as an up-and-comer, seem wise beyond her years in breakout roles as a Machiavellian teenage bride in Lady Macbeth and an actor turned spy in The Little Drummer Girl.

— Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026
Tyler, after a brief recovery period, returned to the recording studio with a huskier, edgier voice.

— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026

Definition of husky

Browse Nearby Words

stocks

stocky

stockyard

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Stocky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stocky. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of stocky

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

jilt

Popular in Grammar & Usage

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Can' vs. 'May'

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World

Popular

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes