burly

adjective

ˈbər-lē How to pronounce burly (audio)
Definition of burlynext
as in athletic
strongly and heavily built a burly delivery man brought the furniture

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 burly The boy was burly and had a remarkable strength and energy that stayed throughout his life, only faltering in the very last throes of death. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026 Morocco’s burly defender Issa Diop was nearly on top of him, but Mbappé didn’t give him time to challenge. — Louisa Thomas, New Yorker, 10 July 2026 Waving and smiling, Aveiro, accompanied by a burly gentleman, takes a seat at a table bedecked with a bouquet of roses, ready to tuck into some cuisine from her native country. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026 There was the 29-oz (822-g) Hyperlite Crosspeak 1, but beyond that, the heavy, burly expedition tents have stolen the spotlight. — New Atlas, 28 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for burly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for burly
  1. athletic
  2. powerful
  3. husky
  4. beefy
  5. mighty
  6. brawny
  7. hulking
  8. stout
Adjective
  • Shelton cruised from there, mixing his primary weapons in with athletic defense that garnered big reactions from the Montreal crowd and deflated Nakashima even more.
    — Ava Wallace, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Furthermore, extreme pay disparities exist, from low-wage support staff to multi-million dollar executive and athletic salaries, often tracking scale over prestige.
    — Scott White, Forbes.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of athletic
Adjective
  • The two progressive, politically powerful unions helped carry Mayor Brandon Johnson into office.
    — Kate Armanini, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Gratitude is the most powerful and enduring sentiment of all — not because everything’s fine.
    — Robert B. Reich, Hartford Courant, 13 Aug. 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
  • Despite their physical size and heft, the beefy BFGs ride beautifully.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The family hides from the beast, which looks like a mix between a Cthulhu, an octopus and a big, beefy guy.
    — William Earl, Variety, 8 Aug. 2026
Definition of beefy
Adjective
  • The object looks like a star the size of our solar system, but produces 100 billion times more energy than any star — a mighty blast of power closer to what is produced by a black hole.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • In a world inundated with rage bait and political turmoil, that’s a mighty valuable export.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of mighty
Adjective
  • Starship will be key to building and maintaining this constellation, which will require many launches of the brawny, fully reusable rocket.
    — Mike Wall, Space.com, 31 July 2026
  • The two athletic conferences standing have schools in 26 states, a brawny bipartisan geographic and political footprint.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 20 July 2026
Definition of brawny
Adjective
  • Anthony is a hulking, bald man with pale skin and even paler eyes, and he was dressed in an island-print tropical shirt.
    — George Francis Lee, New Yorker, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Thin and light laptops were a category in their own right not too long ago, but now almost every device outside of hulking gaming laptops is sleek and portable.
    — Jon Martindale, PC Magazine, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of hulking
Adjective
  • Combined output is a powerful 437 horsepower and a stout 583 pound-feet of torque.
    — Josh Max, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Veteran Dre'Mont Jones, who's typically a stout run defender, wasn't immune to the edge-setting problems that plagued the outside linebackers throughout practice.
    — Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of stout

Browse Nearby Words

burliness
burly
burn
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Cite this Entry

“Burly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/burly. Accessed 16 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of burly for Spanish Speakers

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