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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Beckham Hotel Collection Queen Pillows Encased with a cotton cover and made from a down alternative filling, the pillows have a plump loft that feels like a wonderful combination of soft and slightly firm.—
Lindsey Greenfeld,
PEOPLE,
6 Oct. 2025
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The set includes 18 pairs of eye masks to moisturize, freshen, plump, and brighten your skin.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
6 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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At the heart of the property is the tahona, used to grind the agave used to make mezcal; this one is solar-powered though no less imposing.—
Carley Rojas Ávila,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
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Drafted in the second round, 50th overall, last year out of TCU, the physically imposing, 6-foot-6, 250-pound lefty debuted at the Single-A level in April.—
Jon Vankin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Brushed with a maltose syrup glaze, the ducks roast in a custom oven over a water bath, where fat drips into water instead of flames, keeping the meat moist and the smoke clean.—
Mackensy Lunsford,
Nashville Tennessean,
2 Oct. 2025
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These additions boost your smoothies' protein and healthy fat content, which can further moderate blood sugar response.—
Kathleen Ferraro,
Verywell Health,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Paes also highlighted that the 27th edition of Rio Fest will host 120 distinguished guests, among them French cinema superstar Juliette Binoche who, in addition to presenting her first film as a director, will also celebrate 200 years of diplomatic relations between Brazil and France.—
Marcelo Cajueiro,
Variety,
2 Oct. 2025
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The model, developed in collaboration with battery startup Sphere Energy, can predict a battery’s long-term behavior in as few as 50 power cycles modeled on the digital twin, says Teodoro Laino, distinguished research staff member at IBM Research.—
Andrew Moseman,
IEEE Spectrum,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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To end her portion of the show, Swift sat at a round table with Fallon who asked about the inspiration behind some of her tracks.—
Bryan West,
USA Today,
7 Oct. 2025
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This is what the round red pinhole is for—simply hold it up to one of your eyes and look through it, scanning the room for a glowing red light.—
Amelia McBride,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portly. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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