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 Emmett Doyle is a burly and bearded union carpenter and musician in Minneapolis who writes and performs folk music about the struggles of the working class. — Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026 This burly and battle-tested Chaminade-Madonna offensive line is led by three-star 6-foot-5 guard Devon Munnings, who is committed to Liberty. — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 27 Aug. 2026 Taylor Lally is a blue-eyed, burly, bespectacled man, with a beard about halfway to the the full Duck Dynasty look. — Andrew Zucker, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026 Fauci asked as a burly officer marched the man through the main door of the building and toward a police van, his hands zip-tied behind him. — Michael Collins, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for burly

Recent Examples of Synonyms for burly

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

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

Her husky voice made Pugh, as an up-and-comer, seem wise beyond her years in breakout roles as a Machiavellian teenage bride in Lady Macbeth and an actor turned spy in The Little Drummer Girl.

— Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 25 Sep. 2026
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

Definition of husky

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

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

Upon entering the arena, the steel at the lower levels reveals itself as quite brawny.

— Edward Keegan, Chicago Tribune, 19 Sep. 2026
His main problem in winning Katrina is the presence of rivals for her hand, especially the brawny, Herculean Brom Van Brunt, known as Brom Bones.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of brawny

Adjective

The blades were smaller then, the towers shorter, the whole apparatus closer to a windmill than the hulking machines erected today—the tallest of which exceed 300 meters, with rotor blades longer than a football field.

— Sam Birchall, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2026
The hulking, five-story border checkpoint facility, which loomed over the surrounding area in the grand style of Chinese government facilities, has been obliterated.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of hulking

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 14 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of burly

adjective

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