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
Relevance
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
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
Queen is a brawny, physical big who muscled through opponents to average 19.5 points and 10.8 rebounds this season.
—
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
Masters of the Universe was confirmed by actor Nicholas Galitzine, who stars as the brawny superhero in Amazon MGM's upcoming film.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
The place had horse stables where public utility workers kept the brawny animals that pulled the construction wagons as Baltimore built a water and sewer system.
—Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2025
Stopping power was provided by Brembo brakes, its steering was hydraulically assisted, and its brawny pushrod V8 emitted a thunderous bellow.
—Christian Gilbertsen, Robb Report, 8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 21 Mar. 2025
Masters of the Universe was confirmed by actor Nicholas Galitzine, who stars as the brawny superhero in Amazon MGM's upcoming film.
—Ross Rosenfeld, Newsweek, 26 Feb. 2025
The place had horse stables where public utility workers kept the brawny animals that pulled the construction wagons as Baltimore built a water and sewer system.
—Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2025
Stopping power was provided by Brembo brakes, its steering was hydraulically assisted, and its brawny pushrod V8 emitted a thunderous bellow.
—Christian Gilbertsen, Robb Report, 8 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawny
Adjective
-
Dominic Solanke is a doubt for Sunday’s trip to West Ham United after also being forced off with a muscular problem during the Europa League tie.—
Elias Burke,
New York Times,
2 May 2025
-
Indeed, an ascendant wing of the Republican Party has actively pushed for a more muscular government—in the areas of family and industrial policy, for example—after reaching the conclusion that Reagan-style market orthodoxy has hollowed out communities, among other bad outcomes.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
2 May 2025
Adjective
-
The athletic guard was one of the Big Ten’s most consistent players, landing on the All-Big Ten first team.—
Bennett Conlin,
Baltimore Sun,
12 May 2025
-
On Friday, Wood along with Hornets athletic director Mark Orr, Bibby and Otto Construction project manager Corbin Martin took The Bee on a venue tour of the new home court.—
Joe Davidson,
Sacbee.com,
11 May 2025
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,
National Geographic,
13 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
The annual meeting is an opportunity to celebrate the league's work over the past year, hear from a powerful advocate for Arkansas families and help shape the organization's direction for the future.—
Deb Harvell,
Arkansas Online,
11 May 2025
-
Ventura's filing is now widely viewed as the initial string pulled in what has become the unraveling of one of music's most powerful men.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA Today,
10 May 2025
Adjective
-
And on the rugged ninth hole, his tee shot held up in the grass just short of the bunker.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
16 May 2025
-
The second webcam will cover the rugged cliffs where puffins, guillemots, razorbills, shags, and various species of gull typically gather.—
Laura Baisas,
Popular Science,
15 May 2025
Adjective
-
After serving in the Navy during World War II, the burly athlete returned to Clovis briefly.—
Mara Bovsun,
New York Daily News,
19 Apr. 2025
-
Our guide at Al-Aqsa was a burly thirty-five-year-old orthopedics resident named Mohammad Shaheen.—
Clayton Dalton,
New Yorker,
18 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Blueberries Blueberries are a small but mighty superfruit packed with nutrients.—
Lindsey DeSoto,
Health,
12 May 2025
-
Put together, these moves build well-rounded stability in your core, which helps this mighty muscle group respond appropriately no matter what forces are thrown its way.—
Jenny McCoy,
SELF,
7 May 2025
Adjective
-
Thankfully, Charlotte has a few under-the-radar spots whose vegan and vegetarian french fries rival those cooked in the beefiest of tallow.—
Samantha Husted,
Charlotte Observer,
21 Apr. 2025
-
Is Fisk, who just popped a hole in a jacket, going to gradually get bigger and beefier as the rest of the season/series unfolds?—
Charlie Mason,
TVLine,
28 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brawny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawny. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share