1
as in power
muscular strength
I'm going to need someone with real muscle to help me move all this furniture
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strength
the ability to exert effort for the accomplishment of a task
at the time the military lacked the muscle to fight two wars at once
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in to force
to cause (a person) to give in to pressure
he was muscled out of command by his opponents at military headquarters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of muscle
Danielle Zickl, SELF, 7 Feb. 2025
Gaining muscle weight and increasing your muscle mass is a slow process.1 Some younger athletes can gain 2 pounds of muscle in a month.
—Kelly Burch, Verywell Health, 7 Feb. 2025
Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 10 Jan. 2025
There were various politicians who muscled their way to the podium and who took hostile shots at the reporters covering the briefing.
—Rick Pozniak, Boston Herald, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for muscle 
Noun
In their everyday training—mainly lifting and HIIT workouts—football players work their larger muscles (say, glutes and quads) that prime them for explosion and momentum, Schiller explains.
—Danielle Zickl, SELF, 7 Feb. 2025
Gaining muscle weight and increasing your muscle mass is a slow process.1 Some younger athletes can gain 2 pounds of muscle in a month.
—Kelly Burch, Verywell Health, 7 Feb. 2025
Verb
Much of the credit for that unexpected metamorphosis goes to Gersten, who muscled her way into a subgenre — the topless temptation — once dominated by men.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 10 Jan. 2025
There were various politicians who muscled their way to the podium and who took hostile shots at the reporters covering the briefing.
—Rick Pozniak, Boston Herald, 7 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for muscle
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muscle
Noun
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Immigration was a key element of President Donald Trump's 2024 campaign and helped Republicans sweep to power on a national level.—
Justin Gest,
Newsweek,
11 Feb. 2025
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The talk of the town today is about preserving one of Congress’ most fundamental powers: doling out taxpayer money for the executive branch to spend.—
Daniel DePetris,
Chicago Tribune,
11 Feb. 2025
Noun
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That could, in turn, cost Hezbollah Shiite support—an essential pillar of its strength.—
Hanin Ghaddar,
Foreign Affairs,
4 Feb. 2025
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At the heart of this movement is the resurgence of the tie - a classic menswear accessory - now reimagined as a symbol of strength and sophistication in women's fashion, as exampled by Scandinavian staple brands like Won Hundred.—
Cassell Ferere,
Forbes,
4 Feb. 2025
Verb
-
Ferrell’s absurdity touched a third rail, not only forcing Americans to laugh at how far our declarations of patriotism had gone, but gently poking to see if there were indeed limits to what was deemed acceptable while draped in the flag.—
Harrison Richlin,
IndieWire,
11 Feb. 2025
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When Alma’s inventor is murdered, Salia and Zem, two cops from different zones who are polar opposites, are forced to collaborate on the investigation.—
Elsa Keslassy,
Variety,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The league has also evolved rapidly since Donovan won the last of his record six MLS Cups in 2014, with an expansion push nearly doubling the number of teams and owners spending far more on their rosters and facilities alike.—
Jeff Rueter,
The Athletic,
8 Feb. 2025
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But the 2022 law that Lamont pushed lawmakers to pass superseded the settlement terms and ordered all of the money to be transferred to a dedicated fund and placed under the sole discretion of the Opioid Settlement Advisory Committee.—
Laura Tillman,
Hartford Courant,
8 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Miami doesn’t have much beef or depth in the post, so that could be a mismatch.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
10 Feb. 2025
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As is the case with everything Kendrick Lamar does, especially throughout his beef with Drake, his Apple Music Super Bowl LIX halftime show included a few easter eggs and caused fans to theorize about other aspects of the show that may not have actually been so purposeful.—
Armon Sadler,
VIBE.com,
10 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Pursue nutrition support: Food is a form of medicine and can significantly impact your energy, strength, and mood.—
Verywell Health,
Verywell Health,
11 Feb. 2025
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For starters, she is blessed with magnetic energy, sultry vocals, and undeniable confidence.—
Larry Stansbury,
Essence,
11 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The Supreme Court's Bantam Books v. Sullivan precedent makes clear that government officials can't use their position to coerce private entities into censorship.—
Brenda Looper,
arkansasonline.com,
5 Feb. 2025
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One text, seen by North Carolina outlet WSOC-TV, shows the scammers pretending to be the IRS in an attempt to coerce recipients.—
Anders Fogh Rasmussen,
Newsweek,
5 Feb. 2025
Verb
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The guidance drops have stirred concerns among investors that EA can continue to squeeze growth from its tentpole FC soccer franchise in particular, which accounts for a big slice of its operating revenues.—
Etan Vlessing,
The Hollywood Reporter,
4 Feb. 2025
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Why Juicing Might Not Benefit the Microbiome The process of squeezing liquid from fruits and veggies, casting off its pulp, leaves one critical nutrient on the table (or, rather, in the blender): fiber.—
Sarah Garone,
Health,
4 Feb. 2025
Video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs
Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes
Thesaurus Entries Near muscle
Cite this Entry
“Muscle.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muscle. Accessed 16 Feb. 2025.
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