Synonyms of muscle

muscle 1 of 2

noun

ˈmə-səl 

1

as in power

muscular strength

I'm going to need someone with real muscle to help me move all this furniture

Synonyms & Similar Words

• power
• beef
• energy
• brawn
• force
• main
• vigor
• potency
• might
• sinew
• thew
• puissance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• weakness
• impotence
• impotency
• debility
• feebleness
• infirmity
• frailty
• debilitation
• faintness
• enfeeblement
• frailness

2

as in strength

the ability to exert effort for the accomplishment of a task

at the time the military lacked the muscle to fight two wars at once

Synonyms & Similar Words

• power
• strength
• energy
• capacity
• vigor
• capability
• force
• horsepower
• potency
• sinew
• firepower
• might
• competence
• competency
• potence
• puissance
• aptitude
• effectiveness
• usefulness
• adequacy
• effectualness

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• weakness
• impotence
• disability
• impotency
• powerlessness
• inability
• incapacity
• incompetence
• incompetency
• incapability
• inaptitude
• paralysis
• ineffectiveness
• uselessness
• ineffectuality
• inefficacy
• helplessness
• incapableness
• ineffectualness
• inefficaciousness

muscle

2 of 2

verb

1

as in to force

to cause (a person) to give in to pressure

he was muscled out of command by his opponents at military headquarters

Synonyms & Similar Words

• force
• coerce
• compel
• obligate
• pressure
• drive
• oblige
• sandbag
• constrain
• press
• blackmail
• blackjack
• intimidate
• bully
• impress
• dragoon
• impel
• cow
• make
• twist one's arm
• menace
• drag
• threaten
• high-pressure
• bulldoze
• browbeat
• terrorize
• shame
• badger
• hector
• hound
• harass

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• let
• permit
• allow
• move
• talk (into)
• induce
• win (over)
• satisfy
• convince
• argue
• persuade
• prevail (on or upon)

2

as in to push

to force one's way

muscling straight through the packed crowd of people waiting to board the ship

Synonyms & Similar Words

• push
• squeeze
• elbow
• bull
• shoulder
• press
• bore
• shove
• jam
• thrust
• crash
• jostle
• bulldoze
• ram

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of muscle

Noun

Cook will back up Kyle McCord, who is filling in while Malik Willis misses at least four weeks and potentially longer with a core muscle injury. — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 14 Nov. 2026

Enormous, glacial in pace, and largely nonverbal, Cremaster, named after the muscle that controls the rising and falling of the testicles, evolved into a visually stunning pageant that expanded Barney’s vision way beyond solos. — Zachary Woolfe, Vulture, 13 Nov. 2026

Verb

The 6-11, 243-pound Sengun muscled his way inside to create layups and free throws. — ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026

Warsh could go into the October meeting primed to muscle up wavering committee members based on booming demand for AI spending and warm readings in the inflation data. — Matt Peterson, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

Video

When Body Parts Are Also Verbs

Editor Peter Sokolowski breaks down a number of body parts with metaphorical uses as verbs, from head to toe.

Transcript:

Many parts of the body can be used as verbs in either a physical or a metaphorical sense. You can head a company, but if things go wrong you'll have to shoulder the blame, or face your investors. A good leader backs their employees, but if you don't toe the line you might get skinned. Did you muscle your way into that job? You might eye someone suspiciously, or wait for the police to finger a suspect. But if you need to get out of town, try thumbing a ride. You can ride with me if you can stomach the thought. I don't always sing along to the radio, but you might see me mouthing the words.