BURLY Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

burly

adjective

ˈbər-lē

Definition of burly

as in athletic

strongly and heavily built a burly delivery man brought the furniture

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 burly This need not be a burly bully who sizes up wardrobes and coiffures to decide who would best decorate your party. — Judith Martin, Mercury News, 23 June 2026 The burly bureaucrat in dark slacks and a navy sweater has a scruffy beard and the frazzled look of an anonymous factotum thrust into the limelight. — Joshua Hunt, Vanity Fair, 17 June 2026 Amin Abdullah, 51 (San Diego Police Department) Abdullah was known for his burly figure and his warm smile. — Hannah Fry, Los Angeles Times, 22 May 2026 Many tropical harvestman species like those in the study are larger and burlier than their temperate kin, which makes the occasional amphibian feast more feasible. — Jake Buehler, Scientific American, 21 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for burly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for burly

Adjective

The most prominent position that UM’s athletic department has filled in the portal has been quarterback, with Cam Ward, Carson Beck and now Darian Mensah signed to big-money deals the past three years.

— Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 17 July 2026
Even the urologist’s office has athletic jerseys hanging in the treatment room so that men’s masculinity will not be assailed.

— Brian Moylan, Vulture, 16 July 2026

Definition of athletic

Adjective

While Maduro and Flores have awaited trial in a federal detention facility in Brooklyn, their home country has been grappling with a humanitarian disaster following a pair of powerful back-to-back earthquakes in June, killing at least 5,278 people.

— Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 22 July 2026
Self-Monitoring May Improve Weight Management Weighing daily can be a powerful tool for building awareness of trends and for adjusting habits to improve overall health.

— Ashley Olivine, Verywell Health, 22 July 2026

Definition of powerful

Adjective

Tyler, after a brief recovery period, returned to the recording studio with a huskier, edgier voice.

— Alexandra Del Rosario, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
The extravagant, hi-NRG single showcased the breadth of Tyler’s husky grandeur, which proved a perfect fit for Giorgio Moroder.

— Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 July 2026

Definition of husky

Adjective

On top of the appropriately hirsute performer assuming the role of beefy antihero Kratos, the adaptation promises a god-tier ensemble cast, with the likes of Lost’s Sonya Walger and Homeland’s Mandy Patinkin joining the fray.

— Matt Cabral, Entertainment Weekly, 15 July 2026
Bands perform as the peaceful crowd saunters, with the visual entertainment of beefy men cooking barbecue on giant grills.

— Michael Goldstein, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026

Definition of beefy

Adjective

These adapters are small but mighty, and have saved me from losing power on multiple occasions.

— Jamie Davis Smith, Travel + Leisure, 18 July 2026
But the three-game series beginning Friday night should nonetheless help show how the championship-hopeful Yankees measure up to a mighty Dodgers team that’s won the last two World Series and boasts MLB’s best record this year, too.

— Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 17 July 2026

Definition of mighty

Adjective

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

Definition of brawny

Adjective

At another MetroLoft project, 25 Water Street, Berman and a co-developer had taken a radical approach to breaking up the interior space of a hulking building that once housed offices belonging to JPMorgan Chase.

— Andrew Rice, Curbed, 23 July 2026
That promise didn’t last long and the hulking Genesis Center became a steady drain on city resources, not a revenue generator.

— Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 19 July 2026

Definition of hulking

Adjective

In this tournament, Morocco has tried to develop from the 2022 team, which relied on stout defense, into one that can outplay more teams.

— Dan Santaromita, New York Times, 9 July 2026
La Albiceleste created more chances but could not get past the viral sensation in net or the stout Cape Verdean defense before the halftime whistle blew.

— Jacob Lev, CNN Money, 3 July 2026

Definition of stout

Browse Nearby Words

burliness

burly

burn

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“Burly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burly. Accessed 23 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of burly

adjective

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