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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Coming in the next issue, our White House correspondent Linda Feldmann reports on why that muscular approach – supported by his loyal base – might continue regardless of who wins control of Congress.

— Mark Trumbull, Christian Science Monitor, 20 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of muscular

Adjective

Southlake Carroll junior two-way baseball standout Luke Esquivel, previously at Grapevine, had his appeal for athletic eligibility denied by the University Interscholastic League State Executive Committee in a 4-2 vote Thursday.

— Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 22 Oct. 2026
Temporary flight restrictions are issued by the FAA for a variety of reasons, ranging from extreme weather to large athletic, entertainment or political events.

— Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of athletic

Adjective

Policymakers recognized that American companies needed a stronger reason to invest in innovation.

— Rick Lazio, Fortune, 24 Oct. 2026
Meta Platforms, which is pushing its Muse AI agent, lost 7% after reporting stronger revenue for the latest quarter than analysts expected, though its profit fell short.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of strong

Adjective

Netanyahu, who has close ties with politically powerful ultra-Orthodox parties, has resisted attempts to end the exemptions.

— Josef Federman, Los Angeles Times, 26 Oct. 2026
And that includes his warning that TV news has been corrupted by the agendas of the powerful, wealthy billionaires who now control a large portion of the media.

— Michael Schneider, Variety, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of powerful

Adjective

Their rugged shape acts as a welcome counterpoint, toughening up outfits with a particular cool girl edge.

— Nuria Luis, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026
The headline addition is an external lens attachment that extends the camera's optical reach far beyond what standard rugged handsets offer.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 23 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

China is no stranger to powerful quakes, especially in southwestern parts of the country where the Eurasian tectonic plate meets the Indian plate, a dramatic collision that creates the mighty Himalayas and the vast Tibetan plateau.

— Sophie Tanno, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2026
On the east bank of the mighty Nile is Luxor, the great city of the living, with its massive temple complexes of Karnak and Luxor.

— Jamie Carter, Space.com, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of mighty

Adjective

Well, now meet its beefier cousin, the 2028 Mercedes-AMG GT SUV, an equally powerful, ultra-fast-charging electric people-hauler.

— Andrew J. Hawkins, The Verge, 17 Oct. 2026
Steaks — particularly ribeye, sirloin and strip — brown faster with another layer of beefy flavor.

— Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Charlotte Observer, 12 Oct. 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 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of brawny

adjective

Example Sentences

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