BRAWNY Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

brawny

adjective

ˈbrȯ-nē

Definition of brawny

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

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

as in athletic

strongly and heavily built a tough little boy who's going to be a brawny man someday

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of brawny The two athletic conferences standing have schools in 26 states, a brawny bipartisan geographic and political footprint. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 20 July 2026 Still, audiences hungry for the kind of brawny all-star spectacle now largely confined to sci-fi and comic book tentpoles should turn out for this bold retelling of Homer’s epic poem. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026 The comparison suggests Mexican winemaking is a monolith and that its offerings mimic Napa’s brawny fruit-forward wines—two deeply misguided assumptions. — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 June 2026 In its first return to theaters since the female-forward phenomenon, the El Segundo toymaker is turning to the brawny He-Man for another box-office lift. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for brawny

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawny

Adjective

An actor known for his macho presence and muscular physique, Sylvester Stallone does not fit the stereotype of a person with an eating disorder.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Even among participants who did not engage in exercise or dietary changes, daily creatine supplementation increased lean tissue mass and improved muscular strength and endurance, according to the study.

— Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of muscular

Adjective

But the trifecta of excelling in distance running, swimming and the classroom is trumped by another athletic endeavor that took Thompson across the Atlantic Ocean two weeks ago.

— Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
The Kritzer sisters get their height and athletic genes from their parents.

— Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of athletic

Adjective

All manner of contemporary art is shown here, with a collection over 200,000 pieces strong, ranging from Diane Arbus and Cindy Sherman photographs to paintings from Francis Bacon and Sol LeWitt sculptures.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 Oct. 2026
Rather than a sudden surge, the new estimate shows the population has always been strong, thriving, and secure.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of strong

Adjective

At Gucci, the iconic Horsebit takes center stage across bags, belts and shoes, transforming timeless house codes into powerful statement accessories.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Simon has weakened to a Category 2 storm, its eye remaining just offshore as its most powerful winds and rain slammed communities between the Sierra Madre and the ocean and were forecast to persist off the coast of Puerto Vallarta.

— JAIMIE DING, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of powerful

Adjective

The search spanned rugged, steep terrain and took more than 300 hours of work by 20 volunteer rescuers, aided by local and state agencies and helicopters.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 9 Oct. 2026
This pattern is likely to be even more pronounced in rugged terrain, where some rain totals could verge on the extreme.

— Sean Macaday, Sacbee.com, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of rugged

Adjective

Now Calvin is the burly family fisherman, puttering away on his boat, scooping up chunks of ice from nearby glaciers to sell to vodka distilleries.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
Quigley, bearded and burly but soft-edged with a deliberative way of speaking that can serve a range of emotions, is brilliant, and Patel balances him admirably.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of burly

Adjective

In winning this best-of-five series three games to one, the Dodgers now can prepare for a best-of-seven showdown against the mighty Milwaukee Brewers.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
And thanks to the tiny-and-mighty design, the charger won't take up your cup holder spot when not in use.

— Carlos Mejia, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of mighty

Adjective

More complex conversations and image edits may use the cloud for beefier AI, but the amount that happens right on the device makes the Mac Studio smarter and more private than ever.

— Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
Parks and Tamburello openly flirted on their season of The Traitors, with the beefy Boston native and Southern belle often pairing up during the reality competition’s challenges.

— Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of beefy

Browse Nearby Words

brawniness

brawny

bray

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“Brawny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawny. Accessed 16 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of brawny

adjective

Example Sentences

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