burly

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

Synonyms of burly

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

Examples of burly in a Sentence

a burly delivery man brought the furniture

Recent Examples on the Web

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

Waving and smiling, Aveiro, accompanied by a burly gentleman, takes a seat at a table bedecked with a bouquet of roses, ready to tuck into some cuisine from her native country. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026

Accompanied by two burly law enforcement officers and with a military-style helicopter in the background, Uthmeier declared this was the perfect spot for a detention center. — Jim Defede, CBS News, 28 June 2026

There was the 29-oz (822-g) Hyperlite Crosspeak 1, but beyond that, the heavy, burly expedition tents have stolen the spotlight. — New Atlas, 28 June 2026

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

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