robust

adjective

ro·​bust rō-ˈbəst How to pronounce robust (audio)
ˈrō-(ˌ)bəst
1
a
: 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 imageryPlayboy
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
robustly adverb
robustness
rō-ˈbəs(t)-nəs How to pronounce robust (audio)
ˈrō-(ˌ)bəs(t)-
noun
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. See More
Recent Examples on the Web But now as Biden tries to convince recalcitrant Republicans in the House to support his call for robust military aid for the wars in Ukraine and Israel, Cardi sounds like she’s basically done with politics and politicians. Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 20 Nov. 2023 But such saturated awareness of mental health doesn’t automatically translate into a robust cultural understanding of mental illness or how it’s managed. Ilana Masad, The Atlantic, 20 Nov. 2023 And this was just the beginning of the robust and buzzy exhibition. Kerane Marcellus, Essence, 18 Nov. 2023 There’s a really robust team that supports Peter, and all his ideas and ambitions are very, very carefully fact checked. Brande Victorian, The Hollywood Reporter, 17 Nov. 2023 Google has long pushed for Apple to adopt a communication protocol called rich communications systems, or RCS, that aims to replace traditional text messaging with more robust industrywide chat features. Sarah E. Needleman, WSJ, 16 Nov. 2023 Sixty percent of those surveyed say a more robust command of technology would become crucial as their role evolves and expands. Paige McGlauflin, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2023 The foundation of the design is a robust aluminum catamaran with slightly curved and asymmetrical displacement hulls. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 Nov. 2023 Besides focusing on protocols relating to financial and non-financial reporting compliance, CFOs should prioritize building a robust risk governance culture that supports adherence to applicable laws, regulations and internal policies. Jim Deloach, Forbes, 13 Nov. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'robust.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Latin robustus oaken, strong, from robor-, robur oak, strength

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of robust was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near robust

Cite this Entry

“Robust.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/robust. Accessed 28 Nov. 2023.

Kids Definition

robust

adjective
ro·​bust rō-ˈbəst How to pronounce robust (audio)
ˈrō-(ˌ)bəst
: being strong and vigorously healthy
robustly adverb
robustness
-ˈbəs(t)-nəs How to pronounce robust (audio)
-(ˌ)bəs(t)-
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on robust

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