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

Keep scrolling for more

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

This order then incites swifter cell turnover and more robust growth-factor output, which then triggers more collagen creation down below the surface for glowier, plumper, prettier skin. — Jolene Edgar, Allure, "The Truth About Growth Factors in Skin Care and Why They're Controversial," 2 Aug. 2018 Some of these cities have robust networks of nonprofit legal groups that could help them strengthen their legal cases to stay. — Colleen Long, The Seattle Times, "Trump ‘strongly looking’ at releasing migrants in Dem cities," 13 Apr. 2019 For proof, look no further than the parade of robust stems in All That Jazz's ensemble scenes. — Lauren Valenti, Vogue, "How Bob Fosse Productions Transformed Beauty, From Directional Eyes to Power Ponytails," 9 Apr. 2019 And a few testers wished the boot had more robust waterproofing. — James Lynch, Popular Mechanics, "The Best Hiking Boots for Exploring the Outdoors," 9 Apr. 2019 There is a long and robust pipeline of IPOs on tap for 2019, including Uber Technologies Inc. and Lyft Inc. — Dave Michaels, WSJ, "Companies Try to Skirt Shutdown’s IPO Limbo," 21 Jan. 2019 The driving need for robust defense spending waned a bit in 1989 with the fall of the Berlin Wall and the end of the Cold War. — W.j. Hennigan, Time, "President Trump Says NATO Allies Owe the U.S. Money. He's Wrong," 11 July 2018 The robust male croc joins the ranks of 190 other crocodiles that have already been captured and moved from populated areas in the Northern Territory this year. — Kelli Bender, PEOPLE.com, "Just Another Day in Australia: Rangers Wrangle 1,300-lb. Crocodile to Keep It from Entering Town," 10 July 2018 Underscore turned to Collective Next, a Leather District consulting firm that has built a robust graphic facilitation trade in the last several years. — Andy Rosen, BostonGlobe.com, "Quick on the draw: Companies use live illustrators to spice up presentations," 10 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.