sinewy

adjective

sin·​ewy ˈsin-yə-wē 

 also  ˈsi-nə-

1

: full of sinews: such as

a

: tough, stringy

sinewy meat

b

: strong

sinewy arms

2

: marked by the strength of sinews

a demanding sinewy intelligence

—Helen Dudar

Synonyms

• brawny
• muscular
• rugged
• stalwart
• stout
• strong

Examples of sinewy in a Sentence

The lion has a sinewy body.

a sinewy piece of meat

Recent Examples on the Web

In Southern California, where Simmons had relocated from his native New Orleans, the gyms and studios that multiplied in the 1970s and ’80s featured a common cast of characters: sinewy joggers in short shorts, men with rippling muscles, sylphlike women in leotards. —Natalia Mehlman Petrzela, The Atlantic, 16 July 2024

Ingram, a long, sinewy and slithery scorer, would fit that profile at 6-8 with a 7-3 wingspan and a 9-1 standing reach. —Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 30 June 2024

Allen is lithe and sinewy and, in a Sun Ra T-shirt and cap, didn’t seem much changed from the guy on sax in the seventies or eighties, blowing and chanting and dancing. —Robert Sullivan, The New Yorker, 24 June 2024

In a sport that demands an alchemy of sinewy resolve and high-altitude faith, Mr. Lama did everything his client did and more. —Bhadra Sharma, New York Times, 11 June 2024

Word History

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

sinewy

adjective

sin·​ewy ˈsin-yə-wē 

 also  ˈsin-ə-

1

: full of sinews : stringy

sinewy meat

2

: strong sense 1

sinewy arms