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 Before, the city seemed to have been run by bankers and media professionals and fashion people and celebrities, but now Manhattan had been turned over to men in urban-warfare attire, with brawny forearms and high-and-tight haircuts. — Devin Friedman, Rolling Stone, 11 Sep. 2026 Starship will be key to building and maintaining this constellation, which will require many launches of the brawny, fully reusable rocket. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 31 July 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for brawny

Recent Examples of Synonyms for brawny

Adjective

The team revised Rotta’s face and coloring to bring him closer to Jabba while refining his muscular physique.

— Davide Abbatescianni, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
Rubio’s idea of the West is both messier and simpler, populated by muscular explorers and conquerors, from Alexander the Great and the Frankish king Charlemagne to the conquistador Hernán Cortés and the frontiersmen of the American West.

— Ishaan Tharoor, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of muscular

Adjective

Classes, activities and athletic events across Bend-La Pine Schools are canceled tomorrow, the district announced.

— Phil Helsel, NBC news, 16 Oct. 2026
Valdes applauds her patient’s athletic lifestyle and said several large studies back the benefits of finding a physical and social activity when dealing with cancer.

— Howard Cohen, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of athletic

Adjective

But zest was one of just two strengths (the other is hope) that had the strongest relationship to mental well-being across countries and age groups.

— Joan M. Cook, Time, 17 Oct. 2026
However, some safety advocates and Senator Maria Cantwell want a stronger federal review process.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of strong

Adjective

Pacific Fusion also aims to create a fusion reaction an order of magnitude more powerful than those at the national lab facilities.

— Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
Zuckerberg and Wang want Muse Wonder and the more powerful Muse Wonder Full to drive Muse, Meta’s personal AI agent, which can act on people’s behalf.

— Molly A. Wallace, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of powerful

Adjective

Christened Invision, the 328-footer is designed as a rugged, bluewater cruiser with a superyacht’s style, comfort, and finish.

— Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 15 Oct. 2026
Mage was ready to overlook anything—the minuscule bedrooms, the historical restrictions, the rugged location that puts it at a high fire risk—for the light.

— Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 13 Oct. 2026

Definition of rugged

Adjective

Now Calvin is the burly family fisherman, puttering away on his boat, scooping up chunks of ice from nearby glaciers to sell to vodka distilleries.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 8 Oct. 2026
Quigley, bearded and burly but soft-edged with a deliberative way of speaking that can serve a range of emotions, is brilliant, and Patel balances him admirably.

— Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of burly

Adjective

Smesko — who went 611-112 at FGCU and won 25 games in each of his last 14 seasons there, a run matched by only mighty Geno Auriemma and UConn in that span — took the leap into the pro world.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Oct. 2026
The curators, David Breslin and Brinda Kumar, don’t accomplish this with appeals to timeliness or relevance but with a mighty selection of pieces—more than a hundred and twenty, from eighty-two different institutions—and smart exhibition design.

— Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of mighty

Adjective

Steaks — particularly ribeye, sirloin and strip — brown faster with another layer of beefy flavor.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 2026
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

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 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of brawny

adjective

Example Sentences

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