1
as in athletic
marked by a well-developed musculature
Olympic runners tend to have very muscular legs
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strong
having muscles capable of exerting great physical force
a muscular superhero who can easily lift a ton or more
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3
as in aggressive
marked by or uttered with forcefulness
a presidential speech that promises to be a muscular enunciation of the nation's foreign policy
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4
as in rich
having an abundance of some characteristic quality (as flavor)
a muscular red wine that goes especially well with beef
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muscular
Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who joined Girona on loan last month for the rest of this season, has suffered a significant muscular injury which could keep him out for two months or more.
—
Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, the 14-minute Super Afghan Gym is set in a gym in downtown Kabul, which features posters of muscular men on the walls, where a group of housewives come together during the one hour of the day reserved for women.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 1 Feb. 2026
As the researchers point out, there’s solid evidence that aerobic exercise primarily increases cardiovascular fitness while resistance exercise primarily increases muscular strength.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 30 Jan. 2026
Battle Cat Crafted with collector-level detail, this figure features a screen-accurate design inspired by the live-action film, highlighted by a muscular sculpt, lifelike glass eyes, and a posable jaw.
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for muscular
Laia Cervelló Herrero, New York Times, 2 Feb. 2026
Meanwhile, the 14-minute Super Afghan Gym is set in a gym in downtown Kabul, which features posters of muscular men on the walls, where a group of housewives come together during the one hour of the day reserved for women.
—Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 1 Feb. 2026
As the researchers point out, there’s solid evidence that aerobic exercise primarily increases cardiovascular fitness while resistance exercise primarily increases muscular strength.
—Alex Hutchinson, Outside, 30 Jan. 2026
Battle Cat Crafted with collector-level detail, this figure features a screen-accurate design inspired by the live-action film, highlighted by a muscular sculpt, lifelike glass eyes, and a posable jaw.
—Gerrad Hall, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for muscular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muscular
Adjective
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There is something athletic about Streep’s acting, not physically, but in her refusal to ever give less than her absolute all.—
Sally Jenkins,
The Atlantic,
15 Feb. 2026
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The exercises that build a strong, defined back A balanced routine that includes strength training, cardio, and mobility can improve everything from daily function to athletic performance, while also shaping muscle over time.—
Ciara Lucas,
SELF,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The sport, therefore, has a strong relationship with the military, with troops in such environments regularly skinning up mountains before skiing back down.—
Ben Church,
CNN Money,
18 Feb. 2026
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Officers reportedly detected a strong odor of alcohol emanating from the driver, later identified as Lisboa.—
Rick Sobey,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The operation also resulted in the killing of two US citizens, the deployment of aggressive tactics by armed, masked DHS agents, and a soaring sense of trepidation permeating Minnesota’s immigrant communities.—
Yahya Salem,
CNN Money,
17 Feb. 2026
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Torres Hidalgo had been diagnosed with the rare and aggressive form of soft tissue cancer in December 2024.—
Thao Nguyen,
USA Today,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Some of us have guest lectured in his law school class on the Arkansas Constitution, and his passion for our state's rich heritage is evident.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
16 Feb. 2026
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Hiring an experienced guide, such as Eduard Casajuana at Mallorcalpina or Pep Platel at ViuAventura, will result in a richer overall experience.—
Paul Richardson,
Condé Nast Traveler,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Erivo enters in dark trousers and singlet, her body lean, sinewy, covered in tattoos, her head shorn, nose ringed, fingernails fiendishly extended, a vampire in waiting.—
Demetrios Matheou,
HollywoodReporter,
18 Feb. 2026
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The steppe looks like a sinewy piece of yellow meat.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But like the British wartime leader who also led his country’s fight against a bigger, more powerful enemy, Zelensky has made missteps along the way and his future looks increasingly uncertain as the war grinds on.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
20 Feb. 2026
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What a trigger warning presumes is that readers are entitled to be protected before the fact from the possibility of powerful emotion, an odd entitlement at best and one that is seldom afforded to any being in the course of the rest of life.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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Benign conditions like an enlarged prostate, prostatitis (inflammation), recent ejaculation, vigorous exercise or even a long bike ride can temporarily push your PSA up.—
Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt,
CNN Money,
11 Feb. 2026
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Federal guidelines recommend 150 minutes of moderate activity or 75 minutes of vigorous activity each week, with some sort of muscle-strengthening exercise on two days.—
Meg Wingerter,
Denver Post,
11 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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In the past few election cycles, this correlation has become more robust.—
Jay Caspian Kang,
New Yorker,
17 Feb. 2026
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The same principles can be used by engineers to develop technical systems that are robust, efficient and adaptable – just like biological solutions often are.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Muscular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muscular. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
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