stalwart 1 of 2

1
as in valiant
feeling or displaying no fear by temperament the stalwart soldiers in the army of Alexander the Great, who willingly followed him to the ends of the known world

Synonyms & Similar Words

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stalwart

2 of 2

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word stalwart different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of stalwart are stout, strong, sturdy, tenacious, and tough. While all these words mean "showing power to resist or to endure," stalwart suggests an unshakable dependability.

stalwart environmentalists

When is it sensible to use stout instead of stalwart?

The meanings of stout and stalwart largely overlap; however, stout suggests an ability to endure stress, pain, or hard use without giving way.

stout hiking boots

Where would strong be a reasonable alternative to stalwart?

The synonyms strong and stalwart are sometimes interchangeable, but strong may imply power derived from muscular vigor, large size, structural soundness, intellectual or spiritual resources.

strong arms
the defense has a strong case

In what contexts can sturdy take the place of stalwart?

While the synonyms sturdy and stalwart are close in meaning, sturdy implies strength derived from vigorous growth, determination of spirit, solidity of construction.

a sturdy table
people of sturdy independence

When can tenacious be used instead of stalwart?

The words tenacious and stalwart can be used in similar contexts, but tenacious suggests strength in seizing, retaining, clinging to, or holding together.

tenacious farmers clinging to an age-old way of life

When is tough a more appropriate choice than stalwart?

In some situations, the words tough and stalwart are roughly equivalent. However, tough implies great firmness and resiliency.

a tough political opponent

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 stalwart
Adjective
No Southern California staff are semifinalists for the category of outstanding professional in beverage service, though Tobin Shea — bar director of stalwart downtown restaurant Redbird — is a contender for outstanding professional in cocktail service. Stephanie Breijo, Los Angeles Times, 22 Jan. 2025 Harrah's Resort Southern California, California Harrah's Resort Southern California has been a stalwart supporter of LGBTQ+ rights for years. Jared Ranahan, Travel + Leisure, 22 Jan. 2025
Noun
Some of the most potentially fiery hearings are yet to be scheduled, including for vaccine conspiracy theorist Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as health and human services director and Trump stalwart ally Kash Patel to head the FBI. Beth Greenfield, Fortune Asia, 15 Jan. 2025 Kieron Walton, 18, is one of the most exciting prospects in the Jets’ prospect pool — and is tracking to crush his sixth-round draft position — but the trajectory from late-round gem to top-six NHL stalwart takes time in even the best-case scenario. Murat Ates, The Athletic, 20 Jan. 2025 See all Example Sentences for stalwart 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for stalwart
Adjective
  • Despite a valiant effort from Dustin, who hit a Final Cut on Cody for a near-fall, Cody fought back with a Disaster Kick and a Cross Rhodes, only for Dustin to kick out.
    Dan Perry, Newsweek, 31 Jan. 2025
  • An animal rescue in Florida has saved nearly 80 dogs from the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires and freezing weather in Texas in a valiant effort that saw their team drive across the country to help find the pups a better home.
    Raven Brunner, People.com, 21 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • 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
  • 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
  • The insulation will keep you warm in below-zero temperatures, while the sturdy rubber soles will prevent you from slipping and sliding on icy terrain.
    Genevieve Cepeda, Travel + Leisure, 26 Jan. 2025
  • Loftin Hall itself, the former student dining hall where the museum is housed, is noteworthy on its own, with beautiful Mexican tiles and sturdy wooden beams.
    Pam LeBlanc, Southern Living, 26 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • But what Zhang, an artist and feminist activist, does with her story transforms it into a work of calmly bold modernism.
    Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 29 Jan. 2025
  • An activist protests against President Donald Trump’s plan to stop most federal grants and loans during a rally near the White House on Jan. 28, 2025 in Washington, DC.
    Dan Mangan, CNBC, 29 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Gunderson’s Hertha is fierce, witty and courageous and her Marie is cowering, heartbroken and despondent.
    Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Feb. 2025
  • History is filled with good and evil, but in the end, good conquers evil when courageous men and women don’t give up, as when Hitler and his Nazis were vanquished.
    Letters to the Editor, Orlando Sentinel, 1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • At the end, after shaking out his ponytail, Haaland scored with his locks long and free, like the old muscular superhero He-Man.
    Amy Lawrence, The Athletic, 3 Feb. 2025
  • The model here is Law and Order: Spiral balances the muscular doings of a special Paris crime unit with the officious prosecutors who put the bad guys away.
    Taylor Antrim, Vogue, 31 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Andrew Taake, 36, was serving a 6-year sentence in a Colorado prison when President Donald Trump pardoned him and 1,500 other MAGA supporters for seizing the Capitol in protest of his 2020 election defeat.
    Brian Niemietz, New York Daily News, 28 Jan. 2025
  • And, bolstered by supporters, the mom was indeed successful in getting the Alabama Supreme Court to issue an administrative order excusing breastfeeding people, per local news outlet, KFYR-TV.
    Melissa Willets, Parents, 27 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • His condition was touch and go, but this brave boy refused to give up.
    TJ Macias, Kansas City Star, 31 Jan. 2025
  • The Trump Administration will not tie the hands of our brave law enforcement and instead trusts them to use common sense.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 30 Jan. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Stalwart.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/stalwart. Accessed 8 Feb. 2025.

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