strong

1 of 2

adjective

stronger ˈstrȯŋ-gər How to pronounce strong (audio)
 also  -ər
; strongest ˈstrȯŋ-gəst How to pronounce strong (audio)
 also  -əst
1
: having or marked by great physical power
2
: having moral or intellectual power
3
: having great resources (as of wealth or talent)
4
: of a specified number
an army ten thousand strong
5
a
: striking or superior of its kind
a strong resemblance
b
: effective or efficient especially in a specified direction
strong on watching other people work …A. Alvarez
6
: forceful, cogent
strong evidence
strong talk
7
: not mild or weak : extreme, intense: such as
a
: rich in some active agent
strong beer
b
of a color : high in chroma
c
: ionizing freely in solution
strong acids and bases
d
: magnifying by refracting greatly
a strong lens
8
obsolete : flagrant
9
: moving with rapidity or force
a strong wind
10
: ardent, zealous
a strong supporter
11
a
: not easily injured or disturbed : solid
b
: not easily subdued or taken
a strong fort
12
: well established : firm
strong beliefs
13
: not easily upset or nauseated
a strong stomach
14
: having an offensive or intense odor or flavor : rank
strong breath
15
: tending toward steady or higher prices
a strong market
16
a
: of, relating to, or being a verb that is inflected by a change in the root vowel (such as strive, strove, striven) rather than by regular affixation
b
of a noun or adjective declension in Germanic languages : retaining a greater number of distinctions in case, number and gender
strongish adjective

strong

2 of 2

adverb

: in a strong or forceful manner
The wind was blowing strong from the West.
The company is still going strong [=continuing successfully, flourishing] despite new challenges.
Choose the Right Synonym for strong

strong, stout, sturdy, stalwart, tough, tenacious mean showing power to resist or to endure.

strong may imply power derived from muscular vigor, large size, structural soundness, intellectual or spiritual resources.

strong arms
the defense has a strong case

stout suggests an ability to endure stress, pain, or hard use without giving way.

stout hiking boots

sturdy implies strength derived from vigorous growth, determination of spirit, solidity of construction.

a sturdy table
people of sturdy independence

stalwart suggests an unshakable dependability.

stalwart environmentalists

tough implies great firmness and resiliency.

a tough political opponent

tenacious suggests strength in seizing, retaining, clinging to, or holding together.

tenacious farmers clinging to an age-old way of life

Examples of strong in a Sentence

Adjective an athlete with strong muscles He's as strong as an ox. The table should be strong enough to survive the trip. The builder added supports to make the walls stronger. He'll return to work when he's feeling a little stronger.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths. Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2023 This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning. National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023 This time, though, Europe’s households have strong balance sheets, partly thanks to government pandemic support programs, while millions of Ukrainian refugees are boosting the demand for housing. Tom Fairless, WSJ, 12 Jan. 2023 The former Reds righthander posted a sub-3.00 ERA in September before a pair of strong starts in the postseason. Michael Shapiro, Chron, 12 Jan. 2023 Today, though inflation’s back in our future, the big selloff launched a new era of strong real returns. Shawn Tully, Fortune, 12 Jan. 2023 Hiring remained strong last month as employers added 233,000 jobs and wages grew a robust 4.6% compared to a year earlier. Max Zahn, ABC News, 12 Jan. 2023 Carry it by hand or use the shoulder strap that attaches with strong metal buckles (not pictured). Jessica Hartshorn, Good Housekeeping, 12 Jan. 2023 Deadwyler’s performance has had a strong effect on audiences. Caryn James, Town & Country, 12 Jan. 2023
Adverb
Arkansas tourism returned strong after being hit hard by the pandemic, with the Natural State playing host to roughly a third more tourists in 2022 than in 2019. Josh Snyder, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2023 Raha, whose full name and identity are being withheld for her safety, says the flames of the Woman, Life, Freedom revolution are still burning strong within the women forgoing their hijab in public, even if people are no longer taking to the streets in protest. Sarah Baniak, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2023 Derma Sotogake was most impressive and visually appealing in winning the UAE Derby, striding strong down the stretch to pull away and finish with a full run. Jay Ginsbach, Forbes, 6 May 2023 The 40-year-old movie star just shared two looks from the campaign, which show her all glowy and strong-looking. Korin Miller, Women's Health, 4 Apr. 2023 Randall did not take no for an answer, and the fact that he strong-armed her into a yes rankled Kevin as well as fans. Dan Snierson, EW.com, 21 Oct. 2020 In both losses, Louisville came out strong and held the lead at halftime but could not hold on. Alexis Cubit, The Courier-Journal, 25 Mar. 2023 That was tied for the season high against Alabama in a regulation game, with typically strong-finishing guard Jahvon Quinerly making only two of his eight second-half shots scored as layups -- most of which were swatted away. Mike Rodak | Mrodak@al.com, al, 24 Mar. 2023 The reader is not cajoled so much as strong-armed into having the most delightful time: pigs in blankets appear just as the tummy grumbles; cheap champagne is sloppily topped off; cocaine, likely cut with creatine, is spooned into nostrils so that attention never lags. Wyatt Mason, Harper’s Magazine , 6 Jan. 2023

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'strong.' 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

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English strang; akin to Old High German strengi strong, Latin stringere to bind tight — more at strain

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of strong was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near strong

Cite this Entry

“Strong.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/strong. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

strong

adjective
stronger
ˈstrȯŋ-gər
; strongest
ˈstrȯŋ-gəst
1
: having or marked by great physical power : robust
2
: having moral or mental power
3
: having great resources (as of wealth)
4
: of a specified number
an army ten thousand strong
5
: being great or striking
a strong resemblance
6
: forceful, cogent
strong arguments
7
: not mild or weak : having much of some quality
strong coffee
strong acid
strong glasses
8
: moving with rapidity or force
strong wind
9
: enthusiastic, zealous
a strong believer in peace
10
: not easily captured or overcome
a strong fort
11
: well established : firm
strong traditions
12
: having a disgusting or powerful odor or flavor : rank
13
: of, relating to, or being a verb that forms the past tense by a change in the root vowel and the past participle usually by the addition of -en with or without change of the root vowel (as strive, strove, striven or drink, drank, drunk)
strong adverb
strongly adverb

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