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
-
Interest in the drug surged after a 2023 clinical trial reported substantial weight loss among adults with obesity.—
Daryl Austin,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
-
There is no clear reason for the rise in cases, Kamal said, but experts have speculated that diet and lifestyle factors, family history and obesity may all be part of the puzzle.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The agents appeared to know young Markell was losing weight, forced to eat crappy food, whipped with a belt and slapped around.—
Charles Selle,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Mar. 2026
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That perspective, combined with a strong public service ethos, has been central to NRK’s ability to punch above its weight internationally despite relatively modest budgets.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Corpulence.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/corpulence. Accessed 29 Mar. 2026.
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