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

Nowadays, the concept has mutated into something more like a full RV kitchen without the RV (or outside the RV), sometimes packed into a box burly enough to survive an active war zone. — New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2026

Emmett Doyle is a burly and bearded union carpenter and musician in Minneapolis who writes and performs folk music about the struggles of the working class. — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

This burly and battle-tested Chaminade-Madonna offensive line is led by three-star 6-foot-5 guard Devon Munnings, who is committed to Liberty. — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 27 Aug. 2026

Taylor Lally is a blue-eyed, burly, bespectacled man, with a beard about halfway to the the full Duck Dynasty look. — Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 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