MUSCLE-BOUND Synonyms: 81 Similar and Opposite Words

muscle-bound

adjective

Definition of muscle-bound

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

Adjective

The team revised Rotta’s face and coloring to bring him closer to Jabba while refining his muscular physique.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Rubio’s idea of the West is both messier and simpler, populated by muscular explorers and conquerors, from Alexander the Great and the Frankish king Charlemagne to the conquistador Hernán Cortés and the frontiersmen of the American West.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of muscular

Adjective

Classes, activities and athletic events across Bend-La Pine Schools are canceled tomorrow, the district announced.

— Phil Helsel, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026
Valdes applauds her patient’s athletic lifestyle and said several large studies back the benefits of finding a physical and social activity when dealing with cancer.

— Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of athletic

Adjective

At Gucci, the iconic Horsebit takes center stage across bags, belts and shoes, transforming timeless house codes into powerful statement accessories.

— Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Simon has weakened to a Category 2 storm, its eye remaining just offshore as its most powerful winds and rain slammed communities between the Sierra Madre and the ocean and were forecast to persist off the coast of Puerto Vallarta.

— JAIMIE DING, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 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

Now Calvin is the burly family fisherman, puttering away on his boat, scooping up chunks of ice from nearby glaciers to sell to vodka distilleries.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
Quigley, bearded and burly but soft-edged with a deliberative way of speaking that can serve a range of emotions, is brilliant, and Patel balances him admirably.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of burly

Adjective

Smesko — who went 611-112 at FGCU and won 25 games in each of his last 14 seasons there, a run matched by only mighty Geno Auriemma and UConn in that span — took the leap into the pro world.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
The curators, David Breslin and Brinda Kumar, don’t accomplish this with appeals to timeliness or relevance but with a mighty selection of pieces—more than a hundred and twenty, from eighty-two different institutions—and smart exhibition design.

— Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of mighty

Adjective

Steaks — particularly ribeye, sirloin and strip — brown faster with another layer of beefy flavor.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of beefy

Browse Nearby Words

muscle

muscle-bound

muscle car

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Cite this Entry

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“Muscle-bound.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muscle-bound. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of muscle-bound

adjective

Example Sentences

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