sturdy

1 able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure it took a sturdy person to endure the life of a pioneer Synonyms cast-iron, hard, hard-bitten, hardened, inured, rugged, stout, strong, hardy, tough, toughened, vigorousRelated Words flinty, leathery, resilient, stalwart; durable, enduring, everlasting, immortal, imperishable, lasting, permanent, stable, staunch (also stanch), staying, tenacious, unyielding; flourishing, prospering, thriving; able-bodied, brawny, muscular; fit, fortified, hale, healthy, husky, lusty, red-blooded, robust, sound, strapping, virile; annealed, seasoned, temperedNear Antonyms emasculated, enervated, enfeebled, exhausted, run-down, sapped, wasted, weakened, worn, worn out; crippled, debilitated, diseased, incapacitated, infirm, unsound; fragile, frail, puny; resistless, sensitive, susceptible, unresistant, vulnerable, yielding; mortal, perishable, temporary, transientAntonyms delicate, nonhardy, soft, tender, weak

2 marked by the ability to withstand stress without structural damage or distortion wear sturdy boots because we will be going over sharp rocks and uneven terrain Synonyms bombproof, fast, firm, sound, stalwart, strong, stableRelated Words dependable, durable, reliable; infrangible, irrefragable, unbreakable; beefy, solid; cohesive, toughNear Antonyms infirm, insecure, weak; shaky, tottering, tottery, unbalanced, wobbly (also wabbly); unsubstantialAntonyms rickety, unsound, unstable, unsteady

3 not showing weakness or uncertainty you'll need a sturdy grasp of the concepts of algebra before you can take calculus Synonyms forceful, hearty, iron, lusty, robust, solid, stout, strong, firm, vigorousRelated Words hard, ironclad, mighty, powerful, tough, unyielding; animated, brisk, energetic, frisky, jaunty, jazzy, lively, peppy, perky, spirited, sprightful, sprightly, springy, vital, vivacious, zippy; assured, certain, confident, sanguine, secure, sureNear Antonyms feeble, fragile, frail; limp, listless, spiritless; diffident, insecure, self-doubting; characterless, effete, frail, spineless, weakened, weak-kneed, wimpy, wishy-washyAntonyms uncertain, weak