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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 abalone is plump and toothsome, yet still tender and accompanied by asparagus kissed by the fire.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
16 June 2026
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Post use, skin looks and feels more plump and less inflamed, with redness virtually gone and fine lines softened.—
Eva Thomas,
InStyle,
14 June 2026
Adjective
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There’s Chateau de Fère and Les Crayères, which is very imposing and old-fashioned; a couple of very nice funky little boutique hotels (including one owned by the Selosse family who make amazing, and amazingly priced, grower Champagne) and lots of good chambres d'hôtes.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
4 June 2026
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In person, Rowbottom is striking — tall, platinum blond, soft-spoken — though less imposing than carefully self-possessed.—
Mariella Rudi,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
Adjective
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Additionally, the study focused specifically on removing sucrose from low-fat meals, meaning the results might not apply to people eliminating sugar while following higher-fat or ketogenic eating plans, the researchers noted.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
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His 3-year-old son Sonny is learning to swing a fat plastic bat, all while working on his launch angle.—
Barry Svrluga,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
Adjective
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An assemblage of distinguished jurists, Ivy League professors, nonprofit leaders, journalists, and theologians sat around me in a half circle.—
Yoni Appelbaum,
The Atlantic,
8 June 2026
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What distinguished Didion is her style, so carefully milled as to be not noticed at first.—
Zinzi Clemmons,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
Adjective
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It was shaped like a cheap plastic GPS device with a yellow body and a round light-sensing eye on top connected by a little neck.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
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This day in sports history 1954 — Rocky Marciano scores a 15-round unanimous decision over Ezzard Charles at New York to retain the world heavyweight title.—
Assistant Sports Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
17 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Portly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portly. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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