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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muscle
Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
After going two sets up, Alcaraz was closing in on the final before pulling up midway through the third set with what looked like muscle cramps.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Benjamin Royer, Daily News, 18 Jan. 2026
Hagel took a pass at the goal line to the left side of Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger, playing off the line, and muscled the puck through the stick of Stars defenseman Esa Lindell for a 2-1 lead.
—CBS News, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for muscle
Noun
Physical benefits Shower steamers may have the ability to loosen stiff muscles and increase blood circulation.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 30 Jan. 2026
After going two sets up, Alcaraz was closing in on the final before pulling up midway through the third set with what looked like muscle cramps.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
To start the Bruins’ scoring in the second quarter, senior guard Kiki Rice muscled her way into the paint for a layup – and then on the other end stuffed Terrapins guard Oluchi Okananwa’s fastbreak-layup attempt.
—Benjamin Royer, Daily News, 18 Jan. 2026
Hagel took a pass at the goal line to the left side of Dallas goaltender Jake Oettinger, playing off the line, and muscled the puck through the stick of Stars defenseman Esa Lindell for a 2-1 lead.
—CBS News, 18 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for muscle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muscle
Noun
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The experience also reinforced Madsen’s belief in the power of social media.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Mophie's power bank has the functionality of a wireless MagSafe connection, with the convenience of a stand.—
Michael Cappetta,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The relative strength index, or RSI, is a technical indicator that measures the speed and magnitude of recent price moves.—
Lee Ying Shan,
CNBC,
30 Jan. 2026
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The research relied on metrics covering loneliness, depressive symptoms, memory, and grip strength to gauge physical health.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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With temperatures climbing above freezing and sunny skies melting half the structure, they were forced to start over entirely.—
Jordan Greene,
PEOPLE,
14 Jan. 2026
-
Twenty-two people — two civilians and 20 firefighters — were injured and thousands were forced to evacuate.—
Claire Wang,
Oc Register,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The agent shoves the observer again, and then turns his attention to Pretti, pushing him out of the way before shoving the observer to the ground.—
Yahya Abou-Ghazala,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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How the producers aren’t manipulative gods, but brilliant storytellers, animated by their own needs and insecurities, who sometimes push too hard in their quest to alchemize real people into three-act structure.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Mornay is mixed with shredded cheddar cheese and beef chili.—
Claire Ballor
Staff Reporter,
Dallas Morning News,
30 Jan. 2026
-
The cattle there are raised in open-air conditions and fed for precisely 600 to 650 days, producing uniquely tender beef with subtle umami.—
Alaina Chou,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Russia struck Ukrainian energy assets in several regions of Ukraine on Thursday but there were no strikes on those facilities overnight, Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Friday.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
31 Jan. 2026
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Beijing has spent decades growing its trade ties and bankrolling projects in the region, to boost transportation links and cut energy costs – cementing its own influence along the way.—
Simone McCarthy,
CNN Money,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The uncle alleged that the donations made by Yamagami’s mother, which by then totalled seven hundred thousand dollars, had been coerced.—
E. Tammy Kim,
New Yorker,
26 Jan. 2026
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Don't let somebody coerce you into scanning them up on the floor, because everybody's trying to get to Coach Prime.—
Jackson Thompson,
FOXNews.com,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Pull upward, squeezing the lat muscle in your upper back at the top.—
Will Stone,
NPR,
31 Jan. 2026
-
Pour salt onto the stain, then squeeze lemon juice over top.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
31 Jan. 2026
Video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs
Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes
Cite this Entry
“Muscle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muscle. Accessed 1 Feb. 2026.
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