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
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Recent Examples of brawny
The place had horse stables where public utility workers kept the brawny animals that pulled the construction wagons as Baltimore built a water and sewer system.
—
Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2025
Stopping power was provided by Brembo brakes, its steering was hydraulically assisted, and its brawny pushrod V8 emitted a thunderous bellow.
—Christian Gilbertsen, Robb Report, 8 Jan. 2025
Sam might be the new Captain, but he’s refused to take the special serum that turned the once-scrawny Brooklyn boy Rogers into a beefy, brawny super-soldier, which just adds to the impostor syndrome.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 12 Feb. 2025
There’s a steak on offer, a brawny New York strip, cooked to a perfect medium rare but presented, for some reason, next to a pile of vinegary sautéed red bell peppers, and a saucier of funky, fishy crawfish béarnaise.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Jacques Kelly, Baltimore Sun, 8 Feb. 2025
Stopping power was provided by Brembo brakes, its steering was hydraulically assisted, and its brawny pushrod V8 emitted a thunderous bellow.
—Christian Gilbertsen, Robb Report, 8 Jan. 2025
Sam might be the new Captain, but he’s refused to take the special serum that turned the once-scrawny Brooklyn boy Rogers into a beefy, brawny super-soldier, which just adds to the impostor syndrome.
—Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 12 Feb. 2025
There’s a steak on offer, a brawny New York strip, cooked to a perfect medium rare but presented, for some reason, next to a pile of vinegary sautéed red bell peppers, and a saucier of funky, fishy crawfish béarnaise.
—Helen Rosner, The New Yorker, 19 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawny
Adjective
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Left behind by the president’s muscular new approach are thousands of women and children – some of them American citizens – who now face the loss of family and faith in the promise of a better life in the United States.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
3 Apr. 2025
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Young children who previously would have been condemned to certain death at the hands of a rare disease, such as severe spinal muscular atrophy, now have a chance at life.—
Nicholas Florko,
The Atlantic,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Cold water immersion has been extensively researched for athletic recovery (typically referred to as cold therapy), but has only more recently come into greater visibility as a solution for general stress and wellbeing.—
Tracy Brower,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
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The Huskies athletic department reported $10.7 million in media rights and NCAA/conference distributions; South Carolina reported $53.8 million in those categories.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning.—
National Geographic,
National Geographic,
13 Jan. 2023
-
According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths.—
Elliot Hughes,
Journal Sentinel,
13 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
The Trump administration has taken steps and made claims that clash with legal opinions issued by a traditionally powerful agency that is part of the Justice Department, the Office of Legal Counsel.—
Charlie Savage,
New York Times,
4 Apr. 2025
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The changes are an attempt to ensure that people requesting citizenship have a true connection to Italy rather than a desire to obtain one of the most powerful passports in the world.—
Katie Nadworny,
Travel + Leisure,
4 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
This ceramic vase has a rugged, natural matte texture and measures 14.4 inches high, so it’s bound to be a statement piece on your table, mantle, etc.—
Alicia Geigel,
Southern Living,
28 Mar. 2025
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Average or above skaters who can make plays and contribute to the rugged side of the game.—
Allan Mitchell,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The burly Glover was a natural who never went to acting school or took an acting class — yet taught acting throughout his career, by most accounts quite effectively.—
Mike Barnes,
HollywoodReporter,
29 Mar. 2025
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Then, when Nationals manager Davey Martinez summoned a lefty to face Kyle Schwarber, the burly slugger smashed a first-pitch fastball.—
Matt Gelb,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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This small but mighty chair expands to a 14-inch seating area and has a steel frame that can support up to 275 pounds.—
Jillian Dara,
Travel + Leisure,
9 Apr. 2025
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With its 4-inch (102mm) Maksutov-Cassegrain design, this small but mighty scope delivers sharp, detailed views of the Moon, planets, and, in the right conditions, bright deep-sky objects.—
Tantse Walter,
Space.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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First, beefy agents from the F.S.B., the federal security service, ransacked his apartment before dawn.—
Neil MacFarquhar,
New York Times,
23 Mar. 2025
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This beefy boy is based on the rugged D-Max AT35 that features a 1,898cc inline-four diesel engine dishing out 162 hp and 266lb.ft (360 Nm), mated to a manual or automatic transmission for a top speed of 112 mph (180 km/h) and a 3.5 ton towing capacity.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
20 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brawny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawny. Accessed 14 Apr. 2025.
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