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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of brawny
With tribe immunity at a premium in these early episodes, the targets may well be the players known as brainy schemers rather than brawny athletes.
—
Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2026
Gone are the days of a brawny construction worker or brainy engineer stepping up to build a sturdy shelter, winning the admiration (or the loathing) of their new tribemates.
—Kristen Geil, Outside, 24 Feb. 2026
Young boys cleaned test tubes, brawny machinists built gauges and mills, and scales delicate enough to weigh an inch of a spider's web.
—Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
Electric SUVs and pickup trucks from Rivian, where Elias also worked, can fit 7,776 cylindrical batteries into a brawny, 135 kilowatt-hour pack.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Joe Reid, Vulture, 25 Feb. 2026
Gone are the days of a brawny construction worker or brainy engineer stepping up to build a sturdy shelter, winning the admiration (or the loathing) of their new tribemates.
—Kristen Geil, Outside, 24 Feb. 2026
Young boys cleaned test tubes, brawny machinists built gauges and mills, and scales delicate enough to weigh an inch of a spider's web.
—Natalia Sánchez Loayza, Scientific American, 5 Feb. 2026
Electric SUVs and pickup trucks from Rivian, where Elias also worked, can fit 7,776 cylindrical batteries into a brawny, 135 kilowatt-hour pack.
—IEEE Spectrum, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawny
Adjective
-
When Misiorowski pitches, his muscular legs take a long stride down the mound, and then his skinny right arm, which is as loose as a whip, follows.—
Louisa Thomas,
New Yorker,
17 May 2026
-
Lou’s muscular body is always clad in unironed clothes.—
Sophie Monks Kaufman,
IndieWire,
16 May 2026
Adjective
-
Julian Champagnie took over Harrison Barnes’ starting spot in San Antonio and has been an athletic upgrade who is durable and reliable while providing accurate volume shooting.—
Law Murray,
New York Times,
18 May 2026
-
In a presentation for young athletes — and for the pro teams and college athletic departments that might invite him to speak — Stripling’s firm uses his story of a baseball prospect that got a $900,000 up-front payment and spent the $500,000 after taxes on a red Lamborghini.—
Bill Shaikin,
Los Angeles Times,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
The hovercraft tragedy underscores the rapidly changing weather conditions, dangerous waves and strong winds associated with Lake Baikal, reports indicated.—
Jessica Mekles,
FOXNews.com,
20 May 2026
-
Beyond keeping bugs away from your guests and food, the zapper also cuts down on the need for bug sprays, which can leave behind strong smells or residue.—
Jeaneen Russell,
PEOPLE,
20 May 2026
Adjective
-
The powerful monetary incentives provided to our politicians and their PACs have compelled legislative compliance to their global agenda.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 May 2026
-
The company said powerful AI systems require enormous computing resources, most of which still depend on chips designed by American and allied firms.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
Located on the doorstep of wild and rugged country, King Salmon serves regularly as a refueling stop for hunting parties and as a place to get information on the location and abundance of game.—
Ben East,
Outdoor Life,
14 May 2026
-
Developers advertised the rugged mesa—framed by the Santa Monica Mountains to the east and the ocean to the west—as an escape from the dust and noise of the growing city of Los Angeles.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 May 2026
Adjective
-
Drummond is a burly, 6-foot-11 glass glutton.—
Fred Katz,
New York Times,
6 May 2026
-
The burly right-hander is set to make his MLB debut at Kauffman Stadium against the Cleveland Guardians.—
Jaylon Thompson
May 6,
Kansas City Star,
6 May 2026
Adjective
-
However, the dismantling of the once-mighty stock market will create many succulent opportunities, many of which will prove irresistible to foreign predators.—
Clem Chambers,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
-
The mighty tortoise, its feet dangling, didn't seem to mind much.—
Alina Hartounian,
NPR,
18 May 2026
Adjective
-
Musgraves and Lambert are two of the most important figures in country music in the 21st century, so the pairing would have been historic even without the beefy backstory.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
29 Apr. 2026
-
There are about as many puts trading as calls, but options traders are paying beefier premiums in upside calls, with total call premiums nearing $100M versus $50M in puts, according to data compiled by SpotGamma.—
Oliver Renick,
CNBC,
23 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Brawny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawny. Accessed 22 May. 2026.
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