1
as in muscular
having muscles capable of exerting great physical force
the store manager always asked the brawniest person there to do the heavy lifting
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sinewy
marked by a well-developed musculature
brawny arms that weren't developed in the gym but by years of work in the construction business
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in athletic
strongly and heavily built
a tough little boy who's going to be a brawny man someday
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brawny
The band steadily climbed the charts in its native Australia, pairing its brawny rock with sincere and outspoken political activism.
—
Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
The horn section sounds deep and crisp, punching out riffs on Kupka’s brawny bari foundation.
—Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2026
Thanks to all that power, the brawny cruiser could sprint from zero to 60 mph in under six seconds and reach a top speed of 181 mph.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 14 Jan. 2026
The actor Nicholas Christopher—brawny, bald, with a perpetually cocked eyebrow that brings to mind Yul Brynner—strode through the aisles of Tashkent Supermarket in Brighton Beach one afternoon.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Los Angeles Times, 21 Jan. 2026
The horn section sounds deep and crisp, punching out riffs on Kupka’s brawny bari foundation.
—Andrew Gilbert, Mercury News, 21 Jan. 2026
Thanks to all that power, the brawny cruiser could sprint from zero to 60 mph in under six seconds and reach a top speed of 181 mph.
—Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 14 Jan. 2026
The actor Nicholas Christopher—brawny, bald, with a perpetually cocked eyebrow that brings to mind Yul Brynner—strode through the aisles of Tashkent Supermarket in Brighton Beach one afternoon.
—Michael Schulman, New Yorker, 10 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawny
Adjective
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When muscular coordination, breathing mechanics and mobility improve together, the compensations driving your symptoms can begin to resolve.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
3 Apr. 2026
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Alex Aster Announces New Barbie YA Novel As for Harlan Raker, the tall and muscular knight whom Aris hates, Aster doesn't need to see a new face.—
Katie Hill,
PEOPLE,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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About a decade ago, a group of competitive CrossFitters in Charleston, South Carolina, went looking for ways to improve their athletic performance without taking steroids.—
Dhruv Khullar,
New Yorker,
6 Apr. 2026
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Sumrall is the polar opposite, which was possibly the intention of athletic director Scott Stricklin when making his selection.—
Noah White,
Miami Herald,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Royal Bahamian police said Brian Hooker told investigators that his wife fell over from an 8-foot hard-bottom dinghy — along with the keys to the boat — and she was carried away by strong rip currents.—
Cristian Benavides,
CBS News,
8 Apr. 2026
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The National Weather Service says strong winds could generate breaking waves of 8 feet causing dune erosion and road overwash.—
Mark Price
April 8,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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More than a half-dozen potential candidates are speaking here to make inroads among Black leaders, one of Democrats' most powerful voting blocs.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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But in the void of space, even the tiny kick of a photon becomes a powerful engine.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Isolated by its beautiful, rugged mountains, West Virginia sits entirely within Appalachia and has long been listed at the bottom of a laundry list of failings, including poor health and a lack of education.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
9 Apr. 2026
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Here, the sun cast stark, dramatic shadows across the moon’s steep cliffs, rugged ripples and seemingly bottomless craters.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Some of the drop-off locations were strikingly similar—luxury apartment buildings whose vast lobbies were tributes to beige and camel, each housing a blocky reception desk manned by a burly fellow with a fastidious beard.—
Henry Alford,
New Yorker,
30 Mar. 2026
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As the interview wrapped up, the female journalist asked the burly bruiser for a photograph, handing Secrets her phone.—
Rob Crilly,
The Washington Examiner,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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For Alcantara, 30, the 2022 season was a lofty standard, a mighty oak that cracked through a time capsule to sprout in a field of saplings.—
Tyler Kepner,
New York Times,
7 Apr. 2026
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Their 10-day mission, which began with a launch from Florida atop NASA's mightiest rocket, the Space Launch System, on April 1, is the first human flight to the moon since the Apollo 17 mission in December 1972.—
Tariq Malik,
Space.com,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The lack of marbling, fat, and bone diminishes the beefy taste of these cuts.—
Sheena Chihak,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Apr. 2026
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But Dodge desperately needs a proper high-volume SUV; that aging midsize can’t carry the brand on its (admittedly beefy) shoulders forever.—
Byron Hurd,
The Drive,
1 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brawny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawny. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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