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muscle 1 of 2

noun

ˈmə-səl How to pronounce muscle (audio)
Definition of musclenext
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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 muscle
Noun
The Pentagon's efforts to test for low testosterone coincide with growing interest in the hormone that has been driven by men’s health influencers and podcasters, many of whom recommend the drug as a way to boost energy, muscle and feel younger. — ABC News, 18 Sep. 2026 Michele plays Darcy Miles, a Pilates Princess and trainer who, when asked to whip her girls into shape, flexes her muscles too hard. — Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 17 Sep. 2026
Verb
Apopka continues its rebuilding stage but watch out for big defensive lineman Demetri Tarpley, who is 6-3 and has muscled up to 305 pounds with an offseason program. — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 18 Aug. 2026 The action spilled to the outside, and Wagner muscled Dragon Lee back into the ring with a powerbomb. — Alfred Konuwa, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for muscle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muscle
  1. power
  2. strength
  3. force
  4. push
  5. beef
  6. energy
  7. coerce
  8. squeeze
Noun
  • This time, the TPLF appears to have mobilized widely, bringing together former foes in its stated goal of removing Abiy from power in Addis Ababa, the federal capital.
    — SAMUEL GETACHEW, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Traditional wireless systems present challenges for very small implants because their antennas and power requirements can increase device size.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of power
Noun
  • The fitness center is top-notch, with heart rate monitoring and LCD screen treadmills, strength-training machines, free weights, and a Kinesis® exercise wall.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Populism, distilled from the witches’ brew of 1893, only attained its full strength closer to the end of the century.
    — J. B. MacKinnon, Harpers Magazine, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of strength
Verb
  • Rather than forcing clarity, give the situation time to reveal itself.
    — Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In May, the TPLF forced out regional leader Tadesse Werede, who reported to Abiy, and replaced him with a new council led by TPLF leader Debretsion Gebremichael, who led the Tigrayans in the previous conflict.
    — SAMUEL GETACHEW, Arkansas Online, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of force
Verb
  • Progressive Democrats are jockeying to shape the Democratic Party’s approach to artificial intelligence, pushing for heavy restrictions on the rapidly developing industry.
    — Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 26 Sep. 2026
  • Pandemic-era migration from coastal counties has helped push up prices in communities once considered affordable, leaving longtime residents with fewer options beyond absorbing higher costs.
    — Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of push
Noun
  • Twenty-three products are affected including items such as slice ribeye, beef oxtail cut, beef short ribs, goat cut and ground pork.
    — Laura Sharman, CNN Money, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Products impacted by the recall include ground pork, chorizo, pork chops, pork ribs as well as beef ribs, short ribs, oxtail and cuts of goat meat.
    — Julia Hawkins, Idaho Statesman, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of beef
Noun
  • Last October, OpenAI announced plans to partner with a local company to build a data centre powered by clean energy costing up to $25 billion.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 24 Sep. 2026
  • However, Bobrick says that if such effects were constructed at much smaller scales, the amount of energy required could be reduced as well, thereby making the process more feasible.
    — Micah Hanks, Space.com, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of energy
Verb
  • By filing that brief handwritten petition, Kohberger is putting himself in the category of many criminal defendants before him, who have argued after the fact that their guilty pleas were coerced.
    — Mark Guarino, ABC News, 17 Sep. 2026
  • Williams also asked Saab whether anyone had threatened or coerced him into changing his plea.
    — Antonio Maria Delgado, Miami Herald, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of coerce
Verb
  • That polarization helped squeeze other mainstream parties, including the CDU.
    — Geir Moulson, Los Angeles Times, 21 Sep. 2026
  • What fascinates me most isn't simply whether Wagner can squeeze 621 miles out of this massive battery.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 20 Sep. 2026
Definition of squeeze

Browse Nearby Words

murrains
muscle
muscle-bound
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Cite this Entry

“Muscle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muscle. Accessed 27 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on muscle

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about muscle

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