BRAWNY Synonyms: 119 Similar and Opposite Words

brawny

adjective

ˈbrȯ-nē

Definition of brawny

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

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

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 The two athletic conferences standing have schools in 26 states, a brawny bipartisan geographic and political footprint. — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 20 July 2026 Still, audiences hungry for the kind of brawny all-star spectacle now largely confined to sci-fi and comic book tentpoles should turn out for this bold retelling of Homer’s epic poem. — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 15 July 2026 The comparison suggests Mexican winemaking is a monolith and that its offerings mimic Napa’s brawny fruit-forward wines—two deeply misguided assumptions. — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 June 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for brawny

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawny

Adjective

An actor known for his macho presence and muscular physique, Sylvester Stallone does not fit the stereotype of a person with an eating disorder.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
Even among participants who did not engage in exercise or dietary changes, daily creatine supplementation increased lean tissue mass and improved muscular strength and endurance, according to the study.

— Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of muscular

Adjective

But the trifecta of excelling in distance running, swimming and the classroom is trumped by another athletic endeavor that took Thompson across the Atlantic Ocean two weeks ago.

— Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
The Kritzer sisters get their height and athletic genes from their parents.

— Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of athletic

Adjective

Mercury in Scorpio squares Mars in Leo, making opinions stronger, reactions quicker, and certain conversations easier to escalate than intended.

— Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
Fire officials had also failed to take advantage of satellite imagery after strong winds grounded their typical eyes in the sky, aircraft.

— Terry Castleman, Los Angeles Times, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of strong

Adjective

Hastert was aware of the personal pitfalls of holding the powerful position.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
With the Heat’s offense often spacing all five players around the three-point line, Antetokounmpo will have plenty of room to operate as one of the most powerful drivers in the NBA.

— Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 5 Oct. 2026

Definition of powerful

Adjective

Next, save 30% on the JBL Grip Bluetooth speaker for rugged outdoor sound.

— Juhi Wadia, PC Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026
International Harvester built the original Scout from 1961 to 1980, establishing its reputation as a rugged, versatile vehicle for off-road and everyday use.

— Chase Jordan October 2, Charlotte Observer, 2 Oct. 2026

Definition of rugged

Adjective

Nowadays, the concept has mutated into something more like a full RV kitchen without the RV (or outside the RV), sometimes packed into a box burly enough to survive an active war zone.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 25 Sep. 2026
Emmett Doyle is a burly and bearded union carpenter and musician in Minneapolis who writes and performs folk music about the struggles of the working class.

— Emily Witt, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of burly

Adjective

In winning this best-of-five series three games to one, the Dodgers now can prepare for a best-of-seven showdown against the mighty Milwaukee Brewers.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026
And thanks to the tiny-and-mighty design, the charger won't take up your cup holder spot when not in use.

— Carlos Mejia, PC Magazine, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of mighty

Adjective

More complex conversations and image edits may use the cloud for beefier AI, but the amount that happens right on the device makes the Mac Studio smarter and more private than ever.

— Brian Westover, PC Magazine, 21 Sep. 2026
Parks and Tamburello openly flirted on their season of The Traitors, with the beefy Boston native and Southern belle often pairing up during the reality competition’s challenges.

— Kathleen Perricone, Entertainment Weekly, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of beefy

Browse Nearby Words

brawniness

brawny

bray

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Brawny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawny. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of brawny

adjective

Example Sentences

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