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
  • Maybe your goal is to build more muscular power with moves like kettlebell swings and power cleans.
    — Jennifer Heimlich, Time, 6 July 2026
  • Their stomachs function more like large, expandable bags rather than tight muscular containers.
    — Jennifer Borresen, USA Today, 3 July 2026
Definition of muscular
Adjective
  • Every team wants position players who are athletic, project to play up the middle, excel on defense and more.
    — Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 9 July 2026
  • Zero compression would be the pressure a regular athletic sock provides, which isn’t constricting but may offer arch support and padding.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 9 July 2026
Definition of athletic
Adjective
  • New York — The stocks that have fueled Wall Street’s powerful AI rally are suddenly under pressure as investors evaluate rising tensions in the Middle East, take profits after a historic run and reassess where to find value.
    — John Towfighi, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
  • The powerful currents of flash floods can carry drivers off the road.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 9 July 2026
Definition of powerful
Adjective
  • At the center of it all is Brent Charles’ sinewy Caius Martius Coriolanus, who runs through the play like a human scythe.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 1 July 2026
  • Theron, meanwhile, hurls herself into the sinewy action sequences that have increasingly been her home turf over the past two decades, flinging herself down hills and into rivers and navigating some precarious rock-climbing terrain.
    — Alison Willmore, Vulture, 24 Apr. 2026
Definition of sinewy
Adjective
  • Waving and smiling, Aveiro, accompanied by a burly gentleman, takes a seat at a table bedecked with a bouquet of roses, ready to tuck into some cuisine from her native country.
    — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 30 June 2026
  • Accompanied by two burly law enforcement officers and with a military-style helicopter in the background, Uthmeier declared this was the perfect spot for a detention center.
    — Jim DeFede, CBS News, 28 June 2026
Definition of burly
Adjective
  • In its opening match, Cape Verde introduced itself with a draw against mighty Spain.
    — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 4 July 2026
  • Today Twain would be startled by the passivity of a once-mighty Congress that has all but crumbled in the face of pressure from the White House.
    — Ron Chernow, The Atlantic, 2 July 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
  • Those beefy Parisian security boys seem ready for anything, including the heat, non?
    — Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 25 June 2026
  • The service offers a beefy selection of email templates and a host of autoresponders.
    — Gabriel Zamora, PC Magazine, 22 June 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 12 Jul. 2026.

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