brawny

adjective

ˈbrȯ-nē How to pronounce brawny (audio)
Definition of brawnynext
1
as in muscular
having muscles capable of exerting great physical force the store manager always asked the brawniest person there to do the heavy lifting

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in sinewy
marked by a well-developed musculature brawny arms that weren't developed in the gym but by years of work in the construction business

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in athletic
strongly and heavily built a tough little boy who's going to be a brawny man someday

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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 brawny In its first return to theaters since the female-forward phenomenon, the El Segundo toymaker is turning to the brawny He-Man for another box-office lift. — Samantha Masunaga, Los Angeles Times, 4 June 2026 He gets reacquainted 15 years later with his Sword of Power along with childhood chum Teela (Camila Mendes), who’s brainier and brawnier than the majority of the guys, and his former Man-at-Arms Duncan (Idris Elba), the former protector of Adam’s family. — Randy Myers, Mercury News, 3 June 2026 Yet once Adam is fully in command of his sword, so to speak, and subjected to a brawny He-Man makeover that at least spares him the lank bowl cut of the original model, things get rather less spry. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 2 June 2026 Indianapolis hosts the Combine every year, which means each February its downtown briefly becomes the world capital for strong-jawed men in athleisure who could be described as broad, brawny, buff, burly, built, boxy, or otherwise physically notable. — Dan Greene, New Yorker, 18 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for brawny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawny
  1. muscular
  2. athletic
  3. strong
  4. powerful
  5. rugged
  6. burly
  7. mighty
  8. beefy
Adjective
  • Breed standards describe these substantial cats as having a muscular, rectangular body with a broad chest, large paws and a long, flowing tail.
    — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Design-wise, the EX2S features a compact streetfighter stance with an aggressive headlight housing, a muscular central body, and exposed structural elements.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of muscular
Adjective
  • This summer jerseys and track shorts officially dethroned yoga pants as the athletic trend du jour for fashion connoisseurs, with a focus on both comfort and style through elegant finishing touches.
    — Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 20 Aug. 2026
  • The problem is that, on average, most Bowl Subdivision athletic departments at the top of the food chain also reported losing money.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of athletic
Adjective
  • Reese missed badly on the layup attempt, but her strong play sparked an Atlanta Dream rally before halftime.
    — Michael Cunningham, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Historically, the strongest predictor of a recruiting boom has been a weak economy.
    — Steven Beynon, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of strong
Adjective
  • Immediately after that, a powerful blast rips through the street.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
  • McLaurin, the nominee for lieutenant governor, is trying to become the first Democrat to win the powerful seat since Mark Taylor left office in 2007.
    — David Wickert, AJC.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of powerful
Adjective
  • For instance, try balancing out the rugged look with feminine shorts like the LyreBird Silken Lace-Trim Shorts.
    — Tessa Petak, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Summary The 2026 Toyota Tundra TRD Pro emerges as a powerful, rugged, and handsome truck, despite its premium price and massive size.
    — Josh Max, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of rugged
Adjective
  • Fauci asked as a burly officer marched the man through the main door of the building and toward a police van, his hands zip-tied behind him.
    — Michael Collins, USA Today, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Madden was the burly, garrulous head coach of the Oakland Raiders in the 1970s, leading the team to many championship games and its first Super Bowl victory.
    — Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 6 Aug. 2026
Definition of burly
Adjective
  • The object looks like a star the size of our solar system, but produces 100 billion times more energy than any star — a mighty blast of power closer to what is produced by a black hole.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
  • In a world inundated with rage bait and political turmoil, that’s a mighty valuable export.
    — Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of mighty
Adjective
  • Both the Grand Canyon and ML-T previously traded out the original 2021 floating auxiliary front roof lights for a beefier front light bar during a 2024 refresh.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Despite their physical size and heft, the beefy BFGs ride beautifully.
    — Byron Hurd, The Drive, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of beefy

Browse Nearby Words

brawniness
brawny
bray
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Cite this Entry

“Brawny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawny. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of brawny for Spanish Speakers

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