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Synonym Chooser

How is the word robust distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of robust are hale, healthy, sound, well, and wholesome. While all these words mean "enjoying or indicative of good health," robust implies the opposite of all that is delicate or sickly.

a lively, robust little boy

When would hale be a good substitute for robust?

Although the words hale and robust have much in common, hale applies particularly to robustness in old age.

still hale at the age of eighty

When can healthy be used instead of robust?

The meanings of healthy and robust largely overlap; however, healthy implies full strength and vigor as well as freedom from signs of disease.

a healthy family

When is sound a more appropriate choice than robust?

The words sound and robust are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, sound emphasizes the absence of disease, weakness, or malfunction.

a sound heart

When is it sensible to use well instead of robust?

In some situations, the words well and robust are roughly equivalent. However, well implies merely freedom from disease or illness.

she has never been a well person

When might wholesome be a better fit than robust?

The words wholesome and robust can be used in similar contexts, but wholesome implies appearance and behavior indicating soundness and balance.

a face with a wholesome glow

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of robust India’s theatrical market is flexing serious muscle in 2025, with the first six months delivering a robust 14% uptick that positions the market for a potential record-breaking year ahead. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 19 July 2025 But for now this much seems clear: Ukraine will get more U.S. weapons, and NATO will get more robust American support, because a pair of world leaders were good students of how best to flatter the American president. Tom Nagorski, Time, 18 July 2025 Spending is robust, but so is the financial health of Amex’s clientele. Lily Mae Lazarus, Fortune, 18 July 2025 If Joe Biden was really 'healthy, active, robust,' why take the Fifth? Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for robust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for robust
Adjective
  • The hugging may be a personality quirk, but not doing laundry for a month suggests that there is a problem in her life – economic, emotional, mental or logistical – that’s keeping her from maintaining healthy habits.
    R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 20 July 2025
  • Early detection, healthy lifestyle choices, and regular checkups can help manage both conditions and improve quality of life.
    Alexandria Nyembwe, Health, 20 July 2025
Adjective
  • Born 12 years apart, videos shared by their mom online show an energetic and happy Izzy Offett and a reserved Wayland Coe through the years.
    Jade Jackson, IndyStar, 14 July 2025
  • These curious cats are energetic, curious and know their names.
    Liz O'Connell, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • Prime Day is in full swing, but Amazon founder and chairman Jeff Bezos –the world’s fourth richest person–is selling rather than buying.
    Martina Di Licosa, Forbes.com, 11 July 2025
  • Shapiro’s tone is conversational, luring us into a rich story about American media.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths.
    Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2023
  • This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning.
    National Geographic, National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023
Adjective
  • Seek shelter in a sturdy structure until the storm has passed.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 July 2025
  • Photograph: Kat Merck AmazonBasics Small Packing Cubes for Travel, 4-Piece-Set $20 $14 (30% off) Amazon Not quite as compressive as our top pick, these Amazon Basics cubes offer sturdy mesh windows and durable fabric—a budget-friendly intro to packing cubes.
    Parker Hall, Wired News, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • However, the most dynamic companies today, such as Amazon, Notion, and Anthropic operate on different principles.
    Jeroen Tas, Time, 10 July 2025
  • Around the world, a new breed of hospitality leaders is transforming lobbies, guest rooms, and even rooftops into dynamic platforms for contemporary art, democratizing access and forging unprecedented artist-community-corporate synergies.
    Byron Armstrong, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
Adjective
  • Those soft ticket sales suggest that nostalgia isn’t nearly as potent as Sony might have hoped when greenlighting the slasher sequel and reuniting the original 1998 film’s stars, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Jennifer Love Hewitt.
    Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 20 July 2025
  • The moment for me in that scene that’s the most potent is actually not the poster.
    Brian Hiatt, Rolling Stone, 20 July 2025
Adjective
  • Business owners already understand the importance of creating a solid business plan from the get-go.
    Hanneke Antonelli, Forbes.com, 10 July 2025
  • But the state’s interdependence on the federal government — an economic boost in most years — leaves its economy on less solid footing as federal budget cuts loom.
    Scott Cohn, CNBC, 10 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Robust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/robust. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

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