burly

adjective

bur·​ly ˈbər-lē How to pronounce burly (audio)
burlier; burliest
Synonyms of burlynext
: strongly and heavily built : husky
a burly man
burlily adverb
burliness noun

Examples of burly in a Sentence

a burly delivery man brought the furniture
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Some of the drop-off locations were strikingly similar—luxury apartment buildings whose vast lobbies were tributes to beige and camel, each housing a blocky reception desk manned by a burly fellow with a fastidious beard. Henry Alford, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026 As the interview wrapped up, the female journalist asked the burly bruiser for a photograph, handing Secrets her phone. Rob Crilly, The Washington Examiner, 30 Mar. 2026 But while the big burly dude alliance might be the strategic headline, the interesting stuff was with the women. Dalton Ross, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026 Thrusting a baby into Offerman’s burly arms works wonders to soften up Jinx (as does the actor’s vulnerable turn), and Kenny’s arc proves surprising in the right ways (save, perhaps, one late-arriving twist). Ben Travers, IndieWire, 12 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for burly

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of burly was in the 13th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Burly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/burly. Accessed 2 Apr. 2026.

Kids Definition

burly

adjective
bur·​ly ˈbər-lē How to pronounce burly (audio)
burlier; burliest
: strongly and heavily built
a burly man
burliness noun

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