Brawny — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈbrȯ-nē/

Meaning & Definition of Brawny

Brawny (adjective)

  1. muscular; also, strong, powerful
  2. being swollen and hard

Brawny (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. having muscles capable of exerting great physical force

    "the store manager always asked the brawniest person there to do the heavy lifting"

    similar: muscular, rugged, sinewy, stalwart, stout, strong
    related: forceful, forcible, mighty, potent, powerful, puissant, able-bodied, athletic, fit, trim, beefy, burly, husky, strapping, masculine, virile, hard, inured, strengthened, sturdy, tough, toughened, energetic, energized, invigorated, lusty, red-blooded, robust, vigorous, vitalized, hale, healthy, hearty, sound
    opposite: delicate, feeble, frail, weak, weakling, wimpy
    near: disabled, incapacitated, paralyzed, impotent, powerless, puny, slight, small, unathletic, unfit, unhealthy

  2. marked by a well-developed musculature

    "brawny arms that weren't developed in the gym but by years of work in the construction business"

    similar: muscular, sinewy
    related: wiry, powerful, strong, beefy, burly, hefty, hulking, husky, able-bodied, athletic, herculean, mighty, robust, rugged, stalwart, stout, strapping, sturdy, muscle-bound, sculpted
    opposite: scrawny, skinny
    near: nonathletic, debilitated, delicate, effete, enervated, enfeebled, feeble, fragile, frail, weak, weakened, weakly, wimpy, light, lightweight, slight, lean, slender, slim, svelte, sylphlike, thin, willowy, emaciated, gaunt, lank, rawboned, scraggy, spare

  3. strongly and heavily built

    "a tough little boy who's going to be a brawny man someday"

    similar: beefy, burly, hefty, hulking, husky, mesomorphic
    related: able-bodied, athletic, herculean, mighty, muscle-bound, muscular, powerful, robust, rugged, sinewy, stalwart, stout, strapping, strong, sturdy, chunky, compact, heavy, heavyset, solid, squat, squatty, stocky, thickset, chubby, dumpy, lumpish, podgy (chiefly British), portly, pudgy, roly-poly, tubby
    near: lean, light, lightweight, slender, slight, slim, svelte, sylphlike, thin, willowy, bony, gangling, gangly, gaunt, gawky, lanky, reedy, scraggy, scrawny, skinny, spare, stringy, twiggy, waspish, weedy, spidery, wiry, debilitated, delicate, effete, emaciated, enervated, enfeebled, feeble, fragile, frail, infirm, puny, unathletic, weak, weakly, wimpy

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Brawny

The most common words with a similar meaning to Brawny:

muscular, rugged, sinewy, stalwart, stout, strong, beefy, burly, hefty, hulking, husky, mesomorphic

Antonyms & Opposite Words for Brawny

Words with the opposite meaning of Brawny:

delicate, feeble, frail, weak, weakling, wimpy, scrawny, skinny

Related Words for Brawny

forceful, forcible, mighty, potent, powerful, puissant, able-bodied, athletic, fit, trim, strapping, masculine, virile, hard, inured, strengthened, sturdy, tough, toughened, energetic, energized, invigorated, lusty, red-blooded, robust, vigorous, vitalized, hale, healthy, hearty

Near Antonyms of Brawny

disabled, incapacitated, paralyzed, impotent, powerless, puny, slight, small, unathletic, unfit, unhealthy, nonathletic, debilitated, effete, enervated, enfeebled, fragile, weakened, weakly, light, lightweight, lean, slender, slim, svelte, sylphlike, thin, willowy, emaciated, gaunt

Word Forms of Brawny

Inflections: brawnier, brawniest

Derived words: brawnily (adverb), brawniness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Brawny

First known use: 1581

Frequently Asked Questions about Brawny

What does "Brawny" mean?

"Brawny" means muscular; also, strong, powerful. As an adjective, it is defined as: muscular; also, strong, powerful. It has 3 distinct senses.

What is another word for "Brawny"?

Other words for "Brawny" include muscular, rugged, sinewy, stalwart, stout, strong, beefy and burly. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Brawny" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Brawny"?

There are 64 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Brawny". Common alternatives include muscular, rugged, sinewy, stalwart, stout, strong, beefy, burly, hefty and hulking.

What is the opposite of "Brawny"?

Antonyms of "Brawny" include delicate, feeble, frail, weak, weakling, wimpy, scrawny and skinny. Near antonyms include disabled, incapacitated, paralyzed and impotent.

How do you use "Brawny" in a sentence?

Examples of "Brawny" in a sentence: "the store manager always asked the brawniest person there to do the heavy lifting"; "brawny arms that weren't developed in the gym but by years of work in the construction business"; "a tough little boy who's going to be a brawny man someday".

Is "Brawny" a noun, verb, or adjective?

"Brawny" is an adjective.

How do you pronounce "Brawny"?

"Brawny" is pronounced /ˈbrȯ-nē/.

What is the origin of the word "Brawny"?

First known use: 1581.