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muscle-bound

adjective

Definition of muscle-boundnext
as in muscular

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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 muscle-bound But their skeletons seemed peculiar—stocky and muscle-bound, with mashups of features seen in various groups of modern-day mammals. — Steve Brusatte, Scientific American, 1 June 2022
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muscle-bound
  1. muscular
  2. athletic
  3. powerful
  4. sinewy
  5. burly
  6. mighty
  7. strapping
  8. beefy
Adjective
  • During the height of the Rocky and Rambo franchises, the actor became known for his exceptionally muscular physique.
    — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2026
  • The 2027 Silverado gets a broader, more muscular face, a new grille and redesigned LED lighting, while the bodywork has been massaged to make the truck look even more substantial.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of muscular
Adjective
  • Following the coach’s firing in July 2023, more than 260 Northwestern faculty members signed a petition calling for the stadium plans to be halted until at least athletic department’s problems could be sorted out.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2026
  • Lately, they’re increasingly placed asymmetrically, a detail borrowed from athletic shoes that’s now trickling down to streetwear.
    — Emily Kelleher, InStyle, 24 Sep. 2026
Definition of athletic
Adjective
  • That gives Qatar a powerful reason to keep talks moving between Tehran and Washington.
    — Lauren Morganbesser, semafor.com, 22 Sep. 2026
  • The brain responds to these intermittent rewards with powerful reinforcement.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of powerful
Adjective
  • Putting his lean and sinewy physicality to disquieting use, McNairy makes Wilson both unreadable and coldly transparent, giving him equal parts menace and magnetism.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • One of Nebel’s major works was still there — The Wrestlers, a huge plaster work of two sinewy men locked in combat, which had been his thesis as a student.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 30 July 2026
Definition of sinewy
Adjective
  • 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
Definition of burly
Adjective
  • A day will surely dawn when those who sought refuge in the long shadow of American bullying—believing that mimicking the language of the mighty could shield them from the claws of power—will stand bare before the truth.
    — Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 24 Sep. 2026
  • The 2026 Honda Passport stands out because of its mighty V6 engine, spacious cabin and cargo area and rugged styling.
    — Charles Singh, USA Today, 22 Sep. 2026
Definition of mighty
Adjective
  • Ser Duncan the Tall, is a strapping but awkward young man with little confidence and few skills.
    — Lorraine Ali, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2026
  • Henney is best known for playing the strapping and heroic Special Agent Matt Simmons on Criminal Minds.
    — Hoda Mallone, People.com, 13 Mar. 2025
Definition of strapping
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

Browse Nearby Words

muscle
muscle-bound
muscle car
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Cite this Entry

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

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