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
He’s only gotten brawnier since, and the version of Courtney seen here could have swallowed such a bouncer in one bite.
—
Peter Debruge, Variety, 17 May 2025
The contrast between two slight female IGPN officers and one large brawny male officer makes menacingly real the power play underlying an interview.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
At Flanders, the peloton’s big and brawny racers like Flemish hero Wout van Aert or Dutch racer Mathieu van der Poel get to shine.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 2 Apr. 2025
With teammate Mikal Bridges tagging smaller facilitators, Anunoby takes the brawnier ones.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Peter Debruge, Variety, 17 May 2025
The contrast between two slight female IGPN officers and one large brawny male officer makes menacingly real the power play underlying an interview.
—Sophie Monks Kaufman, IndieWire, 15 May 2025
At Flanders, the peloton’s big and brawny racers like Flemish hero Wout van Aert or Dutch racer Mathieu van der Poel get to shine.
—Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 2 Apr. 2025
With teammate Mikal Bridges tagging smaller facilitators, Anunoby takes the brawnier ones.
—Fred Katz, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawny
Adjective
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The Aston Martin Formula One team has confirmed that Fernando Alonso will not be taking part in the Hungarian Grand Prix Free Practice 1 session due to a muscular injury in his back.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Aug. 2025
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Anne McClain and Nichole Ayers this week continued tests of a possible alternative countermeasure to muscular atrophy.—
Robert Z. Pearlman,
Space.com,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Rice has been named head of ceremonies and content for the Olympic and Paralympic Games set to take place in Los Angeles in the summer of 2028, a move that taps a Hollywood executive to find new ways to communicate the grandeur of the athletic extravaganza during some of its signature events.—
Brian Steinberg,
Variety,
23 July 2025
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Then, lace up your running shoes over the new wardrobe additions and crush all your athletic goals in style.—
Stacia Datskovska,
Footwear News,
23 July 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
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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
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The World Meteorological Organization confirmed a new world record for lightning discharge distance The powerful lightning bolt, also known as a megaflash, stretched 515 miles from eastern Texas to Kansas City, Mo.—
Brian Anthony Hernandez,
People.com,
3 Aug. 2025
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To be there, surrounded by our athletes and staff, all aligned under one goal, is incredibly powerful.—
Jenn Nelson,
Forbes.com,
2 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The Cyclades are famed for postcard-perfect sunsets—while Crete offers rugged gorges and myth-laden palaces.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
25 July 2025
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Made from rugged canvas, the shell will last a lifetime.—
Christopher Murray
may earn a commission if you buy through our referral links. This content was created by a team that works independently from the Fox newsroom.,
FOXNews.com,
25 July 2025
Adjective
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So, a lumber sport competition may bring to mind big, burly Paul Bunyan types with facial hair and flannel shirts.—
Maayan Silver,
NPR,
25 July 2025
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An Amorim goalkeeper is typically a burly shot-stopper who has a reasonable-to-good command of his six-yard box.—
Carl Anka,
New York Times,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Istanbul has a small but mighty jazz scene with plenty of jazz clubs across the city featuring both local talent and international musicians.—
Kaitlyn McInnis,
Forbes.com,
28 July 2025
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This small but mighty JBL Go 4 is honestly a golden find.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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The pockets vary in size, some being small enough for a little flash drive and others large enough to fit the beefiest of portable chargers.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
3 July 2025
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While waves were beefy and allowed for plenty of surf excitement throughout the event, the swell picked up even more for the finals day on Saturday, with sets upward of 8 feet, even larger as the swell filled in throughout the day.—
Laylan Connelly,
Oc Register,
14 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brawny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawny. Accessed 5 Aug. 2025.
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