robust

adjective

ro·bust | \ rō-ˈbəst

, ˈrō-(ˌ)bəst\

Definition of robust

1a : having or exhibiting strength or vigorous health

b : having or showing vigor, strength, or firmness a robust debate a robust faith

c : strongly formed or constructed : sturdy a robust plastic

d : capable of performing without failure under a wide range of conditions robust software

2 : rough, rude stories … laden with robust, down-home imagery — Playboy

3 : requiring strength or vigor robust work

4 : full-bodied robust coffee also : hearty a robust dinner

5 : relating to, resembling, or being a specialized group of australopithecines characterized especially by heavy molars and small incisors adapted to a vegetarian diet

Note: Robust australopithecines are included in the genus Australopithecus along with gracile forms or placed in the separate genus Paranthropus.

— compare gracile sense 3

Other Words from robust Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about robust

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Choose the Right Synonym for robust

healthy, sound, wholesome, robust, hale, well mean enjoying or indicative of good health. healthy implies full strength and vigor as well as freedom from signs of disease. a healthy family sound emphasizes the absence of disease, weakness, or malfunction. a sound heart wholesome implies appearance and behavior indicating soundness and balance. a face with a wholesome glow robust implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly. a lively, robust little boy hale applies particularly to robustness in old age. still hale at the age of eighty well implies merely freedom from disease or illness. she has never been a well person

Examples of robust in a Sentence

If Singapore, just seven miles to the north with its glittering skyline and robust economy, is Southeast Asia's Cinderella, Batam is her dark sister. — Peter Gwin, National Geographic, October 2007 The greatest gains in mine mechanization came in a burst of innovation following World War II, when robust new machines were developed … — Robert L. Marovelli, Scientific American, September 1982 Humfry was a man whom everyone noticed. His stature was above ordinary, his complexion sanguine, his conversation lively, and his constitution robust. — Samuel Eliot Morison, The European Discovery of America, 1971 Why is almost every robust healthy boy with a robust healthy soul in him, at some time or other crazy to go to sea? — Herman Melville, Moby Dick, 1851 robust young men and women He is in robust health. The sauce has a robust flavor.

Recent Examples on the Web

The market has been robust, with 170 apartment complexes changing hands in the first quarter, a 17 percent jump over the 145 properties sold during the first quarter 2018. — Katherine Feser, Houston Chronicle, "Deal of the week: Blue Stone Premier Properties buys large Houston apartment portfolio," 7 June 2019 The pains of Europe now are not strictly economic—as many have argued recently, the actual economic picture in the member countries of the Organization for Economic Coöperation and Development is generally robust. — Adam Gopnik, The New Yorker, "Europe and America Seventy-Five Years After D Day," 6 June 2019 Its lion prides, in this era of predator vanishings, are robust. — Klara Glowczewska, Town & Country, "Elephant Hunting Has Returned to Botswana. But There Is a Way to Stop It.," 6 June 2019 This week's slate of new TV shows and movies isn't exactly robust, but what's coming out is so, so good. — Christopher Rosa, Glamour, "These 8 TV Shows and Movies Are About to Make Your Entire Week," 19 May 2019 The fighter’s armaments were equally robust, with a variety of options to choose from based on the type of target and its distance from the Tomcat. — Alex Hollings, Popular Mechanics, "Why the F-14 Tomcat Is Such a Badass Plane," 3 May 2019 Instead, cobalt output from companies such as Glencore PLC and China Molybdenum Co. was robust. — Amrith Ramkumar, WSJ, "Investors Get Burned After Betting on Electric-Car Metals," 17 Feb. 2019 The same spokesperson also confirmed that the system is robust enough to support 48-volt operation should the maker ever decide to go that route. — Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver, "General Motors Is Getting Tesla-Style Over-the-Air Updates Thanks to New, Way Faster Electrical Architecture," 21 May 2019 Rebic's powerful and robust playing style would also likely be greater appreciated in England's Premier League than in the Bundesliga. — SI.com, "Liverpool Among Premier League Trio Joining Spurs in Race to Sign Croatia World Cup Star," 11 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'robust.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.