Definition of stoutnext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word stout different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of stout are stalwart, strong, sturdy, tenacious, and tough. While all these words mean "showing power to resist or to endure," stout suggests an ability to endure stress, pain, or hard use without giving way.

stout hiking boots

When can stalwart be used instead of stout?

While the synonyms stalwart and stout are close in meaning, stalwart suggests an unshakable dependability.

stalwart environmentalists

Where would strong be a reasonable alternative to stout?

In some situations, the words strong and stout are roughly equivalent. However, strong may imply power derived from muscular vigor, large size, structural soundness, intellectual or spiritual resources.

strong arms
the defense has a strong case

When would sturdy be a good substitute for stout?

The words sturdy and stout can be used in similar contexts, but sturdy implies strength derived from vigorous growth, determination of spirit, solidity of construction.

a sturdy table
people of sturdy independence

When might tenacious be a better fit than stout?

The words tenacious and stout are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, tenacious suggests strength in seizing, retaining, clinging to, or holding together.

tenacious farmers clinging to an age-old way of life

When is tough a more appropriate choice than stout?

The meanings of tough and stout largely overlap; however, tough implies great firmness and resiliency.

a tough political opponent

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 stout An undersized pass-catcher who can be a stout blocker with a bit of fine-tuning? Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 5 Apr. 2026 He's been deemed good to go and joins a stout rotation that this season will include Zack Wheeler, Aaron Nola, Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo. CBS News, 1 Apr. 2026 Keuilian, a stout, bearded fifty-one-year-old, founded Fit Body Boot Camp, a global personal-training franchise, in 2010, and now lives in Chino Hills, California. Charles Bethea, New Yorker, 30 Mar. 2026 View gallery - 8 images In an age of sleek EV concepts that talk to the wind, the Chery V23 comes out as a stout reminder of bygone times. New Atlas, 27 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for stout
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stout
Adjective
  • The team-captain label and All-American honors help, but the real selling points are Schrauth’s sturdy frame, strong hands and a physical style that works in tight quarters.
    Eddie Brown, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 Apr. 2026
  • In an untitled work from 1995, a cluster of sturdy wagons sits at the edge of a frozen lake, a site where her family of peripatetic horse traders often camped.
    Ben Davis, The New York Review of Books, 25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Also called meadow mice, these rodents are 3 to 7 inches long with short legs and tails with stocky bodies.
    Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
  • The defense also had a witness who described the shooter with the shotgun as bearded, stocky, and dark-skinned.
    Tracy Grant, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Keegan Bradley captained last year's team at Bethpage Black, which had an embarrassing first two days but gave a valiant effort at an unprecedented comeback in Sunday singles.
    Ryan Morik, FOXNews.com, 24 Apr. 2026
  • That Niall finds Ruben so alluring is natural to Gadd, who believes the notion of a valiant male figure has been bred into everyone via fables and fairy tales.
    Carlos Aguilar, Los Angeles Times, 23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The success of these titles owed much to Movistar Plus’ creation of talent relations with some of the most exciting creatives in Spain and a far more muscular investment in films and series which allowed for across-the-board production standards.
    John Hopewell, Variety, 24 Apr. 2026
  • All of this gets a steady electrical charge from Kormákur’s muscular direction, Sher’s sweeping camerawork and a no-nonsense, ominous score by Högni Egilsson.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The Shampoo Bars last at least 80 washes, equivalent to three bottles of liquid shampoo, while the Conditioner Bars last at least 120 washes -- one solid shampoo and conditioner set equals eight liquid bottles.
    ABC News, ABC News, 21 Apr. 2026
  • That would suggest a summit filled more with ceremony than substance, delivering solid if unspectacular outcomes.
    Andy Browne, semafor.com, 21 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Garlic is a slow-growing and cold-hardy plant that’s usually planted in garden beds in autumn, long after the rest of the garden has been put to bed for the year.
    Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Apr. 2026
  • This idyllic Austin property, designed with Texas heat in mind, uses hardy, drought-tolerant plants and pea gravel to replace thirsty turf.
    Katherine Owen, Southern Living, 20 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • The amount of sugar is scaled back, but there's plenty of sweetness from plump raisins and a dusting of powdered sugar.
    Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2026
  • These plump fine lines, increase collagen production, prevent and improve loss of firmness, hydrate, and help with moisture retention.
    Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 14 Apr. 2026
Adjective
  • Of all the courageous figures in the Great Migration, the Pullman Porters of Chicago surely stand alone.
    Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Many of them relied on courageous individuals who have taken leaps of faith and shared information, sometimes at real personal risk.
    Robert Faturechi, ProPublica, 11 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Stout.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stout. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

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