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
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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
With teammate Mikal Bridges tagging smaller facilitators, Anunoby takes the brawnier ones.
—
Fred Katz, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
The 331-mile trail in Kiso Valley provides respite with its brawny cedar and cypress trees but also serves a functional purpose.
—Haley Harrison, AFAR Media, 10 Apr. 2025
Whether that brawny youth can bring that sort of unbridled thinking under real-race weights, in real tack, against real, experienced racehorses that have won multiple stakes remains to be seen.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Plus, the latest electrics have the brawny, boxlike styling that consumers seek.
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Fred Katz, New York Times, 12 Apr. 2025
The 331-mile trail in Kiso Valley provides respite with its brawny cedar and cypress trees but also serves a functional purpose.
—Haley Harrison, AFAR Media, 10 Apr. 2025
Whether that brawny youth can bring that sort of unbridled thinking under real-race weights, in real tack, against real, experienced racehorses that have won multiple stakes remains to be seen.
—Guy Martin, Forbes.com, 26 Mar. 2025
Plus, the latest electrics have the brawny, boxlike styling that consumers seek.
—Morgan Korn, ABC News, 22 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for brawny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawny
Adjective
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Maintaining optimal levels can help with cognitive and muscular function, as well as hydration levels and fatigue.—
Morgan Fargo,
Vogue,
4 June 2025
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In this muscular but graceful performance, Torres shows us what resistance truly means.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
4 June 2025
Adjective
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The glimpses of Wahlberg's happy family life with their children Ella, Michael, Brendan and Grace included the Oscar nominee posing with them at various athletic events, enjoying time in and on the water, and, in the first slide, holding a bunch of balloons in both hands.—
Jack Smart,
People.com,
5 June 2025
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Wheeling University athletic director Carrie Hanna did not respond to an email seeking comment for this story.—
Daniel Libit,
Sportico.com,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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Mahle has developed new batteries, controller and display to go with the powerful mid-drive, along with a bunch of accessories.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
15 June 2025
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As Israel’s most powerful ally, the U.S. has tried for years to mediate an end to Iran’s nuclear program.—
Emily Hallas,
The Washington Examiner,
15 June 2025
Adjective
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The unexpected combination of rugged Western elements with sleek swimwear created a striking contrast that resonated with the fashion-forward crowd.—
Cassell Ferere,
Forbes.com,
7 June 2025
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More than 100 officers are involved in the search covering rugged terrain in Washington's Cascade Mountains, with over 500 tips received from the public, according to the Chelan County Sheriff's Office.—
Adeola Adeosun,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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For pickup owners who need a box-to-tray swap, Four Wheel offers a burly tray with under-bed storage from Australia's Norweld for somewhere around $15K plus installation.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 June 2025
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Neither of those were shocking wins given his stature as the embodiment of burly country authenticity, but the Kentucky native always offers up a few surprises of his own.—
Jon Blistein,
Rolling Stone,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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What to look for in a quality propane lantern Compact features Many propane lanterns are compact, small, but mighty providers of light in the darkness.—
BestReviews,
Mercury News,
29 May 2025
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The speech got worse: The mighty E Street Band is here tonight to call upon the righteous power of art, of music, of rock ’n’ roll, in dangerous times. . . .—
Armond White,
National Review,
28 May 2025
Adjective
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This is a beefy AI workstation with an Nvidia GB300 Grace Blackwell Ultra Desktop Superchip, cramming server-grade Grace Blackwell hardware into a single motherboard.—
Brian Westover,
PC Magazine,
24 May 2025
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An older, beefy man stands by the window, holding a walkie-talkie close to his ear and anxiously glancing up and down the street where cars and military vehicles pass by.—
Isobel Yeung,
CNN Money,
2 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Brawny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/brawny. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.
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