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
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Recent Examples of muscular
The United States needs to play a more muscular role in promoting liberal free market principles and counterbalancing China’s ambitions by asserting its soft power in international economic, scientific, and security institutions and arrangements.
—
Deborah Wince-Smith, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Producing pups with traits that resemble the extinct dire wolf—including a larger body, heavier jaw, muscular limbs, and distinct vocalizations.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
The Celtics were 9-for-11 on first-half shots inside the restricted area, including muscular layups by Brown and Tatum, and 13-for-17 in the paint.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2025
Brittney Spencer kicked off the evening with a set that highlighted the rootsy Americana and soul sounds of the genre but also the muscular country-pop of her 2024 debut, My Stupid Life.
—Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muscular
Deborah Wince-Smith, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
Producing pups with traits that resemble the extinct dire wolf—including a larger body, heavier jaw, muscular limbs, and distinct vocalizations.
—John W. Dean, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Apr. 2025
The Celtics were 9-for-11 on first-half shots inside the restricted area, including muscular layups by Brown and Tatum, and 13-for-17 in the paint.
—Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 5 Apr. 2025
Brittney Spencer kicked off the evening with a set that highlighted the rootsy Americana and soul sounds of the genre but also the muscular country-pop of her 2024 debut, My Stupid Life.
—Rolling Stone, 21 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for muscular
Recent Examples of Synonyms for muscular
Adjective
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Cold water immersion has been extensively researched for athletic recovery (typically referred to as cold therapy), but has only more recently come into greater visibility as a solution for general stress and wellbeing.—
Tracy Brower,
Forbes.com,
6 Apr. 2025
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The Huskies athletic department reported $10.7 million in media rights and NCAA/conference distributions; South Carolina reported $53.8 million in those categories.—
Eben Novy-Williams,
Sportico.com,
6 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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There are also more aggressive interventions for people with severe allergies who don’t respond to other medicines like desensitization therapy, also known as allergy shots.—
Umair Irfan,
Wired News,
5 Apr. 2025
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The two were very aggressive from the start of the fight, with a lot of output.—
Trent Reinsmith,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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As winds churn up cold water off the Southern California coast, sediment rich in nutrients is swirled up from the ocean floor and becomes feed for smaller creatures in the water who are eaten by larger ones like pelicans, whales and all kinds of fish.—
Stephanie Elam,
CNN Money,
6 Apr. 2025
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Louise insisted the show didn’t make the cast rich.—
Stephanie Nolasco,
FOXNews.com,
5 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Think Zaha Hadid, known for her futuristic, sinewy forms that seem to defy structural logic (see, for example, the Heydar Aliyev Center in Baku, Azerbaijan).—
Nick Remsen,
CNN Money,
7 Apr. 2025
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One longs for the sinewy action of a Transformers flick, or the imaginative gravity of something like the first Pacific Rim.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
14 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The formula combines powerful but gentle ingredients like tranexamic acid, kojic acid, and niacinamide to tackle dark spots, acne scars, and uneven tone.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
15 Apr. 2025
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Led by 28-year olds Frederic Boesel and Jonas Muller—along with their over 30 cofounders—the company is positioning itself to be a big mover in AI, making the base models underpinning powerful image generation widely accessible.—
Thomas Brewster,
Forbes.com,
15 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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These look sporty and have high side bolsters, which keep you firmly in place during vigorous driving.—
James Morris,
Forbes.com,
5 Apr. 2025
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Seedlings seem susceptible to diseases and not vigorous enough to form the new turf.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
29 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Prediction would have to come after robust theories.—
Danny Robb,
JSTOR Daily,
14 Apr. 2025
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Now, compared to recent offseasons, the group appears far less robust.—
Patrick Mooney,
New York Times,
14 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Muscular.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/muscular. Accessed 19 Apr. 2025.
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