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
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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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brawny
On Saturday, the brawny colt will be the only horse in the Class of 2025 who will have run in all three races.
—
Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
By Emily Saladino and Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors
June 18, 2025
The best steak salad recipes transform seemingly disparate elements—crisp greens, brawny beef—into cohesive, craveable dishes.
—Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 June 2025
The brawny Yankees lead the American League in runs scored, with 135 more than the Royals, and are pacing the majors in home runs, with 108 — more than double the MLB-low 46 mustered by the Royals.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2025
He’s only gotten brawnier since, and the version of Courtney seen here could have swallowed such a bouncer in one bite.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 2 June 2025
By Emily Saladino and Bon Appétit Staff & Contributors
June 18, 2025
The best steak salad recipes transform seemingly disparate elements—crisp greens, brawny beef—into cohesive, craveable dishes.
—Emily Saladino, Bon Appetit Magazine, 18 June 2025
The brawny Yankees lead the American League in runs scored, with 135 more than the Royals, and are pacing the majors in home runs, with 108 — more than double the MLB-low 46 mustered by the Royals.
—Vahe Gregorian, Kansas City Star, 12 June 2025
He’s only gotten brawnier since, and the version of Courtney seen here could have swallowed such a bouncer in one bite.
—Peter Debruge, Variety, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawny
Adjective
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These can lead to blindness, light sensitivity, cough, shortness of breath, and muscular weakness.4 IgA pemphigus causes eruptions of itchy and painful blisters that appear in circles or clusters on your skin.—
Mark Gurarie,
Health,
10 Aug. 2025
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The director’s many fans are anticipating his signature blend of muscular craftsmanship, elegant mise-en-scène, psychological intensity and moral ambiguity.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
3 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The issue came up because the Ravens recently renovated their athletic performance center, which now includes a recovery pool.—
Sophie Kaufman,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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The match gave fans a glimpse of what the athletic star can bring to the AEW roster.—
Andrew Ravens,
MSNBC Newsweek,
15 Aug. 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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Google has also begun rolling out two powerful filters for album searches.—
Paul Monckton,
Forbes.com,
15 Aug. 2025
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But when a powerful international corporation begins stealing people’s time, the world around her changes.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
14 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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After challenging hikes through Zion's rugged terrain, there is nothing more healing than relaxing in waters that remind us of Iceland's Blue Lagoon, the Dead Sea, or Japan's Hokkaido Island.—
Shelby Knick,
Forbes.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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Shot on location across Cape Town and the Western Cape, the production embraces a rugged, sun-drenched aesthetic.—
Callum McLennan,
Variety,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Still, today, nobody is ready to see big, strong, kind of burly girls up there on the stage, fronting a rock band.—
Jim Harrington,
Mercury News,
7 Aug. 2025
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The wheels are burly and the telescoping handle allows for a smooth pull.—
Francesca Krempa,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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But this mighty American consumer has slow seasons, and the summer of 2025 appears to be one of them.—
Leo Schwartz,
Fortune,
6 Aug. 2025
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These ultra-compact binoculars are small but mighty.—
Jené Luciani Sena
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links.,
FOXNews.com,
6 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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When Pendarvis was a young man, his ring size expanded from ten to fourteen, and his forearms got so beefy that his fellow construction workers called him Popeye.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
23 June 2025
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The pockets vary in size, some being small enough for a little flash drive and others large enough to fit the beefiest of portable chargers.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
3 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brawny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawny. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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