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 of sinewy

• muscular
• strong
• powerful

Examples of sinewy in a Sentence

The lion has a sinewy body.

a sinewy piece of meat

Recent Examples on the Web

This sinewy rock version was recorded by the band in 1975 at a show in New York and remains a live favorite. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 4 Dec. 2025

But by the end of the twentieth century, after a consolidation spree, the sinewy mega- chains now held all the power, and could bully the atrophied publishing industry with the risk of returning huge orders to the houses. —Literary Hub, 25 Nov. 2025

These free agents have come to train with and learn from a sinewy 61-year-old Super Bowl champion who played 23 seasons in the NFL. —Dan Robson, New York Times, 19 Nov. 2025

Del Toro, perpetually attuned to the minutiae of process, turns the sinewy logistics of reanimation into a series of referendums on Victor’s humanity. —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 28 Oct. 2025

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