as in obesity
the condition of having an excess of body fat
the doctor warned that the patient's corpulence was unhealthy and not merely unattractive
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Recent Examples of corpulence
Kajumba was a laconic man, rail‑thin, with the type of largish head that suggested nature had intended him for corpulence, even as circumstance had conspired to keep him slender.
—
Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
As president, George H.W. Bush compared his dog, Ranger, to a blimp in a playful memo to White House staff noting a need to curb doggie treats because of canine corpulence.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 5 Sep. 2025
Whimsy was also the domain of the Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero, whose signature was a race of voluptuously bloated figures — denizens, from priests to bullfighters, of an almost cartoonish world that, to him, had to do not with corpulence but with the sensuality of human life.
—William McDonald, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2023
Twelve bears started in the celebration of corpulence on September 29 before the final online showdown Tuesday.
—CNN, 5 Oct. 2021
In order to support a pair of cubs and reach peak corpulence, Grazer didn’t shy away from battles for the best spots on Brooks River, even against much larger male bears, according to the Park’s video.
—Theresa MacHemer, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Sep. 2020
His striking physical resemblance to his grandfather, channeling his clothing, gait and corpulence, secured his place as the latest iteration of the country’s preordained leadership.
—Victoria Kim, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2020
Over his career, the uber-producer has explored aging, poverty, addiction, corpulence, single parenthood, neurodivergence and other experiences that can leave a person in the margins of American life.
—Robyn Bahr, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Sep. 2019
The Superintendent of Criminal Investigations, Hideo Nishimura, was tall and even-featured and had probably been handsome in his youth, but the years at the desk showed in his growing corpulence and a certain slowness in breaking inertia.
—Andrew Liptak, The Verge, 8 Dec. 2018
Literary Hub, 22 Jan. 2026
As president, George H.W. Bush compared his dog, Ranger, to a blimp in a playful memo to White House staff noting a need to curb doggie treats because of canine corpulence.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 5 Sep. 2025
Whimsy was also the domain of the Colombian painter and sculptor Fernando Botero, whose signature was a race of voluptuously bloated figures — denizens, from priests to bullfighters, of an almost cartoonish world that, to him, had to do not with corpulence but with the sensuality of human life.
—William McDonald, New York Times, 28 Dec. 2023
Twelve bears started in the celebration of corpulence on September 29 before the final online showdown Tuesday.
—CNN, 5 Oct. 2021
In order to support a pair of cubs and reach peak corpulence, Grazer didn’t shy away from battles for the best spots on Brooks River, even against much larger male bears, according to the Park’s video.
—Theresa MacHemer, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Sep. 2020
His striking physical resemblance to his grandfather, channeling his clothing, gait and corpulence, secured his place as the latest iteration of the country’s preordained leadership.
—Victoria Kim, Los Angeles Times, 28 Apr. 2020
Over his career, the uber-producer has explored aging, poverty, addiction, corpulence, single parenthood, neurodivergence and other experiences that can leave a person in the margins of American life.
—Robyn Bahr, The Hollywood Reporter, 23 Sep. 2019
The Superintendent of Criminal Investigations, Hideo Nishimura, was tall and even-featured and had probably been handsome in his youth, but the years at the desk showed in his growing corpulence and a certain slowness in breaking inertia.
—Andrew Liptak, The Verge, 8 Dec. 2018
Recent Examples of Synonyms for corpulence
Noun
-
Colorado has the lowest obesity rate of any state.—
Tony Dokoupil,
CBS News,
13 Jan. 2026
-
Lower fertility rates, higher obesity prevalence, alcohol consumption and lower physical activity are part of the explanation.—
Bloomberg,
Oc Register,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Framed by a light-weight carbon fiber and magnesium chassis, the Audeze LCD-5s have glossy tortoiseshell acetate earcup rings and subtle copper accents.—
Mark Sparrow,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
-
Ice accumulation poses the biggest threat to power lines and trees, with even a thin layer adding significant weight—up to 500 pounds per half-inch on power lines.—
S.E. Jenkins,
CBS News,
22 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Corpulence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corpulence. Accessed 23 Jan. 2026.
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