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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Healthy roots are plump and silvery, white, or green in color.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
19 Oct. 2025
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Ten years and innumerable pounds of corn later, Laws Whiskey House still uses the plump and sweet grain from Burlington.—
Tiney Ricciardi,
Denver Post,
14 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In fact, the Sens could’ve benefitted from them being more imposing.—
Julian McKenzie,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
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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
Adjective
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Milk Powder Like regular milk, non-fat milk powder can add more protein to your morning oatmeal, Johnson said.—
Maggie O'Neill,
Verywell Health,
24 Oct. 2025
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You were allowed to call people fat.—
KiMi Robinson,
USA Today,
23 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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In fact, Mendoza went 21-4 as Columbus’ starting QB in a distinguished prep career.—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
22 Oct. 2025
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Somewhere on this wide spectrum of distinguished Duke alums Cooper Flagg will sit.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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The round, frosted playing chips give the game a stylish look.—
Jaclyn Kaufman
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
21 Oct. 2025
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The fare is $11 round-trip or $6 one-way.—
Evie Carrick,
Travel + Leisure,
21 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portly. Accessed 27 Oct. 2025.
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