1
as in plump
having an excess of body fat
a portly gentleman who loved to cook for his family and friends
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2
as in imposing
having or showing a formal and serious or reserved manner
walked with the portly grace of the grande dame that she was
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portly
In Facebook groups dedicated to Texas barbecue fandom, a recently popular meme shows a portly man dancing on a stripper pole.
—
Elizabeth Findell, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2022
Made of steel, the watch had in its dial a sketch of a portly man, his face framed by round glasses and his broad shoulders clad in a wide-lapelled jacket.
—Sonia Paul, Wired, 1 Mar. 2022
That’s when the portly orphan, who was riding in the van with her, slices off her face to wear it as his own.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 Feb. 2022
One day, Lem held forth about H. G. Wells and Jules Verne to a portly man who turned out to run a publishing house.
—Caleb Crain, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2022
See All Example Sentences for portly
Elizabeth Findell, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2022
Made of steel, the watch had in its dial a sketch of a portly man, his face framed by round glasses and his broad shoulders clad in a wide-lapelled jacket.
—Sonia Paul, Wired, 1 Mar. 2022
That’s when the portly orphan, who was riding in the van with her, slices off her face to wear it as his own.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 Feb. 2022
One day, Lem held forth about H. G. Wells and Jules Verne to a portly man who turned out to run a publishing house.
—Caleb Crain, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2022
See All Example Sentences for portly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portly
Adjective
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The centerpiece, adorned with plump peaches and a full moon, blends an American style of clay-throwing with carving techniques Saw learned in Jingdezhen.—
Abbey Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
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Vitamin E and sunflower seed oil buff out uneven texture and plump fine lines.—
Alanna Martine Kilkeary,
Glamour,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Only Andy Pages has looked alert in the Dodgers’ super-imposing lineup, which would have been shut out before a crowd of 45,556 at Dodger Stadium if not for Freddie Freeman’s two-out home run in the ninth inning.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
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The Blue Devils – led by the physically imposing, likely top-three NBA Draft pick, Cameron Boozer – had the second-biggest roster in the country, including four other players expected to join Boozer in June’s NBA Draft.—
Joe Arruda,
Hartford Courant,
30 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Sometimes, depending upon a patient’s anatomy, fat in the surrounding area will be removed to enhance the result, helping to alleviate heaviness and hooding of the eyes.—
Taryn Brooke,
Allure,
9 Apr. 2026
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This Lincoln Park restaurant’s OBH burger comes with a side of beef fat wedge fries.—
Kayla Samoy,
Chicago Tribune,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Pucker is a prominent collector and philanthropist in the Windy City, and is part of the Pritzker family, who created the Pritzker Prize, the most distinguished honor for architects.—
Brian Boucher,
ARTnews.com,
10 Apr. 2026
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There have been five others since the mid-1800s in that area, noted Gary Griggs, a distinguished professor of Earth Sciences at UC Santa Cruz.—
Paul Rogers,
Mercury News,
8 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Cámara uses a HexClad grill pan, evenly perforated with small round holes, to char her homegrown chiles, tomatoes, and aromatics for salsas.—
Kate Kassin,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
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The round, sesame-seeded bread is layered with Italian deli meats, cheeses and a tangy olive salad that ties everything together.—
Lauren Schuster,
Charlotte Observer,
8 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portly. Accessed 16 Apr. 2026.
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