muscular

adjective

ˈmə-skyə-lər How to pronounce muscular (audio)
Definition of muscularnext
1
as in athletic
marked by a well-developed musculature Olympic runners tend to have very muscular legs

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2
as in strong
having muscles capable of exerting great physical force a muscular superhero who can easily lift a ton or more

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3
as in aggressive
marked by or uttered with forcefulness a presidential speech that promises to be a muscular enunciation of the nation's foreign policy

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4
as in rich
having an abundance of some characteristic quality (as flavor) a muscular red wine that goes especially well with beef

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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 muscular Even among participants who did not engage in exercise or dietary changes, daily creatine supplementation increased lean tissue mass and improved muscular strength and endurance, according to the study. — Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026 Prince’s Folk Songs greet visitors upon entry with an equally muscular confrontation with industrial excess. — Tina M. Campt, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026 Advertisement If your son’s Instagram or TikTok feed is full of impossibly muscular men, you might be tempted to tell him to log off. — Angela Haupt, Time, 30 Sep. 2026 During the height of the Rocky and Rambo franchises, the actor became known for his exceptionally muscular physique. — Lexi Carson, HollywoodReporter, 26 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for muscular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muscular
  1. athletic
  2. strong
  3. aggressive
  4. rich
  5. sinewy
  6. powerful
  7. vigorous
  8. robust
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
  • While Chelsea tend to retreat after taking the lead, their opponents also become more aggressive in response, committing extra bodies forward and helping to create more open, end-to-end encounters.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The acquisition comes after the distributor’s founder and then-CEO, Andrew Karpen, died from an aggressive form of brain cancer at the age of 59 in May 2025.
    — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of aggressive
Adjective
  • Ocean iron fertilization grew from the idea that iron-rich dust blown across the oceans during past ice ages fed blooms of phytoplankton, helping to lower atmospheric CO₂.
    — Alec Luhn, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • That opened the door to a rich landscape of DIY VR development, complete with software tools and hardware advice on how to get started.
    — Tim Stevens, ArsTechnica, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of rich
Adjective
  • Putting his lean and sinewy physicality to disquieting use, McNairy makes Wilson both unreadable and coldly transparent, giving him equal parts menace and magnetism.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • One of Nebel’s major works was still there — The Wrestlers, a huge plaster work of two sinewy men locked in combat, which had been his thesis as a student.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 30 July 2026
Definition of sinewy
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
  • The legendary French fashion house was making a second issue of its surprisingly vigorous, thick-stock glossy art magazine.
    — Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Brisk walking, light cycling, doubles tennis and household chores such as vacuuming, mopping and mowing the lawn were categorized as moderate activity; vigorous activity included jogging, fast cycling, singles tennis and aerobics.
    — Jennifer Fields, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of vigorous
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, earnings from AI chip suppliers like Taiwan Semiconductor indicate the broader demand environment remains robust.
    — Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Amphenol Another robust quarter ahead, analyst Wamsi Mohan, wrote earlier this week ahead of the electronic connector manufacturer's quarterly report.
    — Michael Bloom, CNBC, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of robust

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muscling
muscular
muscularity
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Cite this Entry

“Muscular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muscular. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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