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 selection of works indeed revealed a preference for male subjects unique in a movement typically associated with fetching representations of young women in sun-dappled gowns and bonnets and plump, rose-cheeked children.—
James Meyer,
Artforum,
1 May 2025
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The brand’s Hyaluronic Rose Complex includes Damascus rosewater and 11 types of hyaluronic acid to nourish skin, as well as niacinamide, working to improve the appearance of skin texture and minimize pores, plus plump and firm.—
Celia Shatzman,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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The far more imposing limit is MLS’s global standing.—
Jeff Rueter,
The Athletic,
8 Feb. 2025
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And on the other hand, in a world where most of their top arms remain healthy and effective, the Dodgers could possess one of the most imposing starting pitching staffs in recent memory.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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On the top of Vo’s wishlist was a stem-cell fat grafting procedure.—
Parizaad Khan Sethi,
Allure,
2 May 2025
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New research has revealed that cellular changes during the aging process can cause belly fat — and that's exacerbated by stress and sleep issues that contribute to weight gain.—
Khloe Quill,
FOXNews.com,
1 May 2025
Adjective
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Udit Mehrotra is a distinguished product leader who currently serves as Head of Product Management for Customer Experience at Amazon Canada.—
Udit Mehrotra,
Forbes.com,
12 May 2025
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Cruise will be honoured by the BFI on Monday with the awarding of a distinguished BFI Fellowship.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
10 May 2025
Adjective
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Fowler got off to a scorching hot start, firing a 7-under 63 on Thursday to sit tied for third place after round one at The Philadelphia Cricket Club.—
Troy Finnegan,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 May 2025
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The ballets are folded, placed on a round plate and then slid into an urn.—
Maria Pasquini,
People.com,
7 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portly. Accessed 16 May. 2025.
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