1
2
3
4

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 The law established robust incentives for clean energy, including tax credits for stand-alone grid energy projects. Umair Irfan, Wired News, 26 Apr. 2025 This model is rated for 440 lb (~200 kg) maximum payload capacity, and features a robust rear rack for hauling cargo from A to B or allowing the rider to offer a lift home to a friend. New Atlas, 25 Apr. 2025 The audio quality is equally impressive with two 8-watt speakers that can easily fill a large family room with robust sound. Cierra Cowan, PC Magazine, 25 Apr. 2025 Developing robust risk management strategies is not about paranoia but preparedness. Jim Stevenson, Forbes.com, 14 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for robust
Recent Examples of Synonyms for robust
Adjective
  • The Seeding Square is a sturdy plastic template that helps properly space seeds and seedlings for healthy plants and bountiful harvests.
    Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Apr. 2025
  • As a reliever who started the season healthy, Minter might not need that much time to build up.
    Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 27 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The energy rises as the wrestler and the rapper take energetic strides and bounce to the ring.
    Shaheem Reid, Variety, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The rest of the evening was largely an energetic affair that oscillated between sincere appreciation and light humor, the latter of which began for co-host and winner Gold early in the event.
    Abbey White, HollywoodReporter, 17 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Aruba is culturally rich, with diverse ethnicities and dialects, including one of their native languages, Papiamentu, a common creole language spoken on the Caribbean islands of Aruba, Curaçao, and Bonaire.
    Dominique Fluker, Essence, 1 May 2025
  • These regions are often rich in carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and scientists usually spot them with radio telescopes that detect carbon monoxide.
    Sara Hashemi, Smithsonian Magazine, 30 Apr. 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
  • Get to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and avoid windows.
    STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
  • It’s entirely made of cotton that has been coated with polyvinyl to create a sturdy material with the look of pebbled leather, which is as water-resistant and stain-repellent as hide.
    Miles Walls, Better Homes & Gardens, 20 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This is all part of their mission to make digital mindfulness and wellness accessible to as many people as possible through dynamic content and interactive experiences.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
  • How will 8 new coaches fare? WNBA to broadcast 4 preseason games nationally for first time as league dynamic changes What to watch in sports this week: Playoffs, Champions League semis and 151st Kentucky Derby James Boyd is a staff writer for The Athletic covering the Indianapolis Colts.
    James Boyd, New York Times, 29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • The Lions built one of the NFL’s most potent offenses by focusing on the trenches and reimagining the running back room.
    Sean Hammond, Chicago Tribune, 24 Apr. 2025
  • The late-April glut of convenings this year has had an especially potent effect of magnifying the latest news cycles emanating from Donald Trump’s chaotic White House: Will the President fire Jerome Powell?
    Susan B. Glasser, New Yorker, 24 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • Studio Keiko At the center of a kitchen by Studio Keiko, a sculptural mono-block island—welded on all three sides from solid stainless steel—serves as both anchor and statement.
    Elizabeth Stamp, Architectural Digest, 29 Apr. 2025
  • While the president continues to enjoy solid support in many conservative and rural areas, his approval is significantly lower in urban and traditionally Democratic states.
    Mohammed Soliman, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Robust.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/robust. Accessed 4 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on robust

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!