as in stout
being compact and broad in build and often short in stature
a short, thickset bulldog
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Recent Examples of thickset
As the Presidential election approached, Kabila was increasingly unpopular, and a viable opponent was found: Félix Tshisekedi, a thickset, pugnacious man who was the son of a prominent opposition leader.
—
Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
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
Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thickset
Adjective
-
Then the Nuggets expanded their lead without Gordon in the second half, riding a scoring wave from Julian Strawther and sustaining their stout defense.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
-
The Patriots have been stout against the run in games that Milton Williams suited up.—
Josh Shepardson,
Forbes.com,
22 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
At 5-11, 230 pounds, Valdez is a stocky lefty with a good array of pitches.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes.com,
21 Jan. 2026
-
The stocky mammal has short legs, thick fur and large ears, according to Discover Wildlife.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
17 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
If the stem is still green after the bloom, check it for any unused nodes (green and plump bumps) on the flower spikes.—
Nadia Hassani,
The Spruce,
20 Jan. 2026
-
The dining scene, rooted in the cold waters surrounding the island — think colossal king crabs and plump scallops — has expanded as well.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
15 Jan. 2026
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,
23 Jan. 2026
-
People came from far and wide to cross the frozen Ohio River, either lacing up their sturdiest snow boots or ice-skating to and from Kentucky and Ohio.—
Kaycee Sloan,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
What remains, the thick, black, and dense oil, required special techniques to be brought to the surface.—
Scott Montgomery,
Forbes.com,
25 Jan. 2026
-
As a Boston native, Stone’s accent is thicker than chowdah, bless her, with a laugh that lilts like a fly ball onto Lansdowne Street.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
25 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Pam was originally [written as] a heavyset girl, so all the jokes on my audition were fat jokes.—
Angela Andaloro,
PEOPLE,
2 Jan. 2026
-
Behind the screen of a laptop was a heavyset man, sitting as still as an oracle.—
Kanak Kapur,
New Yorker,
28 Dec. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Thickset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thickset. Accessed 28 Jan. 2026.
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