1
as in athletic
marked by a well-developed musculature
Olympic runners tend to have very muscular legs
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strong
having muscles capable of exerting great physical force
a muscular superhero who can easily lift a ton or more
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3
as in aggressive
marked by or uttered with forcefulness
a presidential speech that promises to be a muscular enunciation of the nation's foreign policy
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4
as in rich
having an abundance of some characteristic quality (as flavor)
a muscular red wine that goes especially well with beef
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muscular
In DeSantis’ view, Florida state and local governments are muscular enough to handle what comes.
—
Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 21 May 2025
In his view, Florida state and local governments are muscular enough to handle what comes.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 May 2025
The bellicosity of these two speeches, at a time when the cease-fire was still tenuous, seemed to reflect Modi’s need to appear muscular in the face of public criticism and after being undermined by Trump’s swagger.
—Vaibhav Vats, The Atlantic, 21 May 2025
In language as deft and muscular as Rosa’s team, Drexler captures the scent of the blood and the resin, every wisecrack and sob story, every flake of talc and gob of spit, every pimple and blackhead on the lady wrestlers’ thighs.
—Lauren Elkin, New York Times, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for muscular
Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 21 May 2025
In his view, Florida state and local governments are muscular enough to handle what comes.
—Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 21 May 2025
The bellicosity of these two speeches, at a time when the cease-fire was still tenuous, seemed to reflect Modi’s need to appear muscular in the face of public criticism and after being undermined by Trump’s swagger.
—Vaibhav Vats, The Atlantic, 21 May 2025
In language as deft and muscular as Rosa’s team, Drexler captures the scent of the blood and the resin, every wisecrack and sob story, every flake of talc and gob of spit, every pimple and blackhead on the lady wrestlers’ thighs.
—Lauren Elkin, New York Times, 20 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for muscular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muscular
Adjective
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The glimpses of Wahlberg's happy family life with their children Ella, Michael, Brendan and Grace included the Oscar nominee posing with them at various athletic events, enjoying time in and on the water, and, in the first slide, holding a bunch of balloons in both hands.—
Jack Smart,
People.com,
5 June 2025
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Wheeling University athletic director Carrie Hanna did not respond to an email seeking comment for this story.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning.—
National Geographic,
National Geographic,
13 Jan. 2023
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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
Adjective
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Addressing the Obvious Critiques Yes, 3–4% real growth is aggressive.—
Don Muir,
Forbes.com,
4 June 2025
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After the aggressive animal showed no signs of leaving, the woman’s boyfriend fatally shot it, officials said.—
Paloma Chavez,
Sacbee.com,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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Non-physician educational experiences differ widely by program, geography and clinical focus, leading to a workforce rich in potential but fragmented in preparation.—
Jesse Corn,
Forbes.com,
5 June 2025
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Italy’s Taormina Film Festival is set for a standout 71st edition with a rich mix of genres – including some potential discoveries – on display, plus a generous dose of star power within a new format that attempts to revive the storied Sicilian event and put it back on the international map.—
Nick Vivarelli,
Variety,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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Nathaniel Sullivan embodied a sinewy Jochanaan who is sorely tempted by Salome’s advances.—
Alex Ross,
New Yorker,
19 May 2025
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Moll has made the kind of sinewy procedural that makes your palms sweat.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
18 May 2025
Adjective
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In April, the Hotel and Gaming Trades Council and 32BJ, two politically powerful local unions, endorsed Cuomo despite having also pressured him to resign in 2021.—
Chris Sommerfeldt,
New York Daily News,
3 June 2025
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There are powerful levers to pull if Trump chooses, like increasing US military aid or imposing tough new sanctions, such as those overwhelmingly supported in the US Senate.—
Matthew Chance,
CNN Money,
3 June 2025
Adjective
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That piece, and the book that would follow, has become a staple of environmental humanities classes for decades and still stirs vigorous classroom debate today.—
Daegan Miller
June 5,
Literary Hub,
5 June 2025
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Media reports that Saudi Arabia will lift its decades-old ban on alcohol in select tourist zones have prompted the flare-up of a vigorous online debate in the conservative kingdom, with some voices in support and others in strong opposition.—
Amira El-Fekki,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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On the complex palate, vibrant fruit emerges, supported by a robust herbaceous backbone, while subtle wood adds depth to the outstanding finish.—
Hudson Lindenberger,
Forbes.com,
2 June 2025
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The district put in a robust information technology infrastructure, including voice over internet protocol phones.—
Doug Ross,
Chicago Tribune,
1 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Muscular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muscular. Accessed 9 Jun. 2025.
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