as in stout
being compact and broad in build and often short in stature
a short, thickset bulldog
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 thickset
The passenger door opened and a thickset man with a short beard and mustache got out.
—
Jamie Quatro, Harper's Magazine, 2 Aug. 2024
There’s a thickset dashboard dotted with prominent air vents and a thick, smooth center section that connects the door panels.
—Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver, 8 Aug. 2023
And, with two big interior pockets, protective metal feet, and thickset handles, your luggage can accommodate everything this lifestyle entails.
—Irene Richardson, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2023
The thickset prison administrator, known as Bawar to his friends, had been keenly aware that the prison was vulnerable to assault.
—Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2022
The hotel's two restaurants, an offshoot of the Beefbar, and Biancaneve, are awash with more banquettes upholstered in colorful cozy fabrics arranged around thickset wood tables, a nod to the hotel's Alpine location.
—Rooksana Hossenally, Forbes, 31 Jan. 2022
Julia's grandmother Zora was short and thickset and typical of the women of her generation in that her days consisted of brief breaks between cooking and cleaning—if not grocery shopping or preparing a meal, she could be found scrubbing the Khrushchyovka apartment with great fa- naticism.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 4 May 2021
The lecturer, a short, thickset man with a ruddy face and a big voice, was coming to the end of his talk.
—Joseph Loconte, National Review, 31 Aug. 2019
Jamie Quatro, Harper's Magazine, 2 Aug. 2024
There’s a thickset dashboard dotted with prominent air vents and a thick, smooth center section that connects the door panels.
—Andrew Wendler, Car and Driver, 8 Aug. 2023
And, with two big interior pockets, protective metal feet, and thickset handles, your luggage can accommodate everything this lifestyle entails.
—Irene Richardson, Travel + Leisure, 8 Mar. 2023
The thickset prison administrator, known as Bawar to his friends, had been keenly aware that the prison was vulnerable to assault.
—Washington Post, 5 Feb. 2022
The hotel's two restaurants, an offshoot of the Beefbar, and Biancaneve, are awash with more banquettes upholstered in colorful cozy fabrics arranged around thickset wood tables, a nod to the hotel's Alpine location.
—Rooksana Hossenally, Forbes, 31 Jan. 2022
Julia's grandmother Zora was short and thickset and typical of the women of her generation in that her days consisted of brief breaks between cooking and cleaning—if not grocery shopping or preparing a meal, she could be found scrubbing the Khrushchyovka apartment with great fa- naticism.
—Ew Staff, EW.com, 4 May 2021
The lecturer, a short, thickset man with a ruddy face and a big voice, was coming to the end of his talk.
—Joseph Loconte, National Review, 31 Aug. 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thickset
Adjective
-
The back end of the bullpen is stout, yet the lineup is dreadfully short.—
Stephen J. Nesbitt,
New York Times,
3 Nov. 2025
-
Collins has been one of the more stout edge defenders in his five years in the league, and the Cowboys could desperately use a savvy veteran run defender to contain the edge.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
It was bred from the American pit bull terrier and several bulldog breeds—including the English bulldog and American bulldog—to create a strong, stocky dog with a gentler temperament than traditional pit bulls.—
Lucy Notarantonio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Oct. 2025
-
However, Schwarber looks like a player right out of the old school with his stocky build.—
John Perrotto,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
There were black burlat cherries, plump apricots, a basket of fragrant strawberries.—
Danielle Postel-Vinay,
PEOPLE,
27 Oct. 2025
-
And this peptide serum delivers, with 10 different peptides (which serve to smooth lines and plump lax skin) housed in yet another copper peptide that delivers them deep into the skin.—
Deanna Pai,
Vogue,
22 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Be sure to cover your head and neck with your arms, and crawl under a sturdy table if possible.—
CA Earthquake Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The shearling is still fluffy, and the soles are sturdy.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
3 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The thick artificial foliage is pre-lit with warm white LED bulbs spaced through the entire length of the 10-foot piece.—
Kate McGregor,
Architectural Digest,
5 Nov. 2025
-
With more than 38,000 gallons of fuel on board the cargo flight bound for Hawaii, the crash created a massive ball of fire – punctuated by smaller explosions from flammable material on the ground – and sent a towering plume of thick black smoke into the sky.—
Karina Tsui,
CNN Money,
5 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
The girl described the suspect as a male, approximately 6 feet tall, heavyset, with dark tan skin and dark brown, medium-length hair extending to his ears, visible beneath a hooded sweatshirt.—
Harry Harris,
Mercury News,
29 Oct. 2025
-
Andre was shorter and heavyset, with a long beard and pugnacious face.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
9 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thickset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thickset. Accessed 6 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share