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

Madden was the burly, garrulous head coach of the Oakland Raiders in the 1970s, leading the team to many championship games and its first Super Bowl victory. — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026

Though his onscreen appearances are brief, Momoa’s face looks fierce superimposed over a burly green body with pointed fangs and sharp claws. — Chanel Vargas, InStyle, 30 July 2026

My new friend is a mountain of a man — over 6-foot-6 and burly. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 29 July 2026

The boy was burly and had a remarkable strength and energy that stayed throughout his life, only faltering in the very last throes of death. — Literary Hub, 20 July 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