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
Even though thickset Mandarin characters on every wall extolled the virtues of the Chinese Dream, Xi Jinping's campaign to rejuvenate Chinese nationalism, the town had a frontier feel, as if Beijing's hawkeyed gaze hadn't yet crept over the moonscape mountains.
—Chris Schalkx, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Feb. 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
Jon Lee Anderson, New Yorker, 24 Nov. 2025
Even though thickset Mandarin characters on every wall extolled the virtues of the Chinese Dream, Xi Jinping's campaign to rejuvenate Chinese nationalism, the town had a frontier feel, as if Beijing's hawkeyed gaze hadn't yet crept over the moonscape mountains.
—Chris Schalkx, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Feb. 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thickset
Adjective
-
Use a deterrent such as a stout stick.—
Saman Shafiq,
USA Today,
13 May 2026
-
Throw in another stout performance by the bullpen, which got one scoreless inning apiece from four relievers, and this team is threatening to run away with the NL East before the calendar turns to summer.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
The two police officers who responded found a short, stocky man in the backyard and an aluminum shed with its door yanked off.—
Dan Barry,
New York Times,
12 May 2026
-
He is described as having a medium to stocky build with gray facial hair around the mouth and chin area.—
Michael Sinkewicz,
FOXNews.com,
9 May 2026
Adjective
-
The nontoxic, antioxidant-rich lip oils are made with calming botanicals to deliver soft, plump, hydrated lips.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
19 May 2026
-
Sure, the injury excuse is sitting right there, plump and inviting.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Reintroduced as Aqua Lares in late 2025, the 254-footer is comfortable in the harshest of environments, with a sturdy ice-class hull that can power through practically anything.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
15 May 2026
-
Optimize the wall space by placing belts and bags on sturdy hooks.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
15 May 2026
Adjective
-
Pantelleria Closer to Tunisia than mainland Italy, Pantelleria is a remote volcanic island dotted with traditional dammusi, thick-walled, domed stone dwellings built to keep out the heat.—
Nicky Swallow,
Travel + Leisure,
17 May 2026
-
Rodriguez Singh appeared behind the thick visitation glass, just feet away, seemingly prepared to talk.—
Doug Dunbar,
CBS News,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
The suspect was heavyset and walked with a unique gait, feet splayed apart, as seen in the surveillance video.—
Matthew Adams,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
17 Apr. 2026
-
Born into a working-class family, Golubski was a heavyset man who had considered becoming a priest before entering the police force.—
Rachel Monroe,
New Yorker,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Thickset.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thickset. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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