Burly — Meaning, Definition & Synonyms

adjective /ˈbər-lē/ bur·ly

Meaning & Definition of Burly

Burly (adjective)

  1. strongly and heavily built, husky

Burly (adjective) — Senses, Synonyms & Antonyms

  1. strongly and heavily built

    "a burly delivery man brought the furniture"

    similar: beefy, brawny, 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

Related Entry: Hurly-burly (noun)

Hurly-burly is a different word from Burly. The synonyms below are for hurly-burly, not for burly.

  1. a state of noisy, confused activity

    "lost sight of his children in all the hurly-burly of the fair"

    similar: ado, alarums and excursions, ballyhoo, blather, bluster, bobbery, bother, bustle, clatter, clutter (chiefly dialect), coil, commotion, disturbance, do (chiefly dialect), foofaraw, fun, furor, furore, fuss, helter-skelter, hoo-ha, hoopla, hubble-bubble, hubbub, hullabaloo, hurly, hurricane, hurry, hurry-scurry, kerfuffle (chiefly British), moil, pandemonium, pother, row, ruckus, ruction, rumpus, shindy, splore (Scottish), squall, stew, stir, storm, to-do, tumult, turmoil, uproar, welter, whirl, williwaw, zoo
    related: cacophony, clamor, din, howl, hue and cry, noise, outcry, racket, roar, disorder, unrest, upheaval, eruption, flare-up, flurry, flutter, outbreak, outburst, brawl, fracas, fray, hassle, melee, scuffle, dither, fever, fret, lather, tizzy
    near: calm, hush, peace, quiet, quietude, rest, stillness, tranquility, order, orderliness

Synonyms, Thesaurus & Another Word for Burly

The most common words with a similar meaning to Burly:

beefy, brawny, hefty, hulking, husky, mesomorphic

Related Words for Burly

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, portly, pudgy

Near Antonyms of Burly

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

Word Forms of Burly

Inflections: burlier, burliest

Derived words: burlily (adverb), burliness (noun)

Origin & Etymology of Burly

Middle English

First known use: 13th century

Vocabulary Lists & Topics for Burly

Words & Phrases Containing Burly

hurly-burly

Frequently Asked Questions about Burly

What does "Burly" mean?

"Burly" means strongly and heavily built, husky. As an adjective, it is defined as: strongly and heavily built, husky.

What is another word for "Burly"?

Other words for "Burly" include beefy, brawny, hefty, hulking, husky and mesomorphic. The best synonym depends on which meaning of "Burly" you intend.

What are different ways to say "Burly"?

There are 38 words and phrases with a similar meaning to "Burly". Common alternatives include beefy, brawny, hefty, hulking, husky and mesomorphic.

How do you use "Burly" in a sentence?

Examples of "Burly" in a sentence: "a burly delivery man brought the furniture".

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

"Burly" is an adjective.

Is "Burly" useful for IELTS, TOEFL, and other English exams?

As a C2-level word, "Burly" is typical of Cambridge C2 Proficiency (CPE), IELTS band 8.5–9.0, TOEFL iBT 114–120, PTE Academic 85–90. Advanced words like this are also useful for the GRE, SAT, GMAT, and LSAT.

How do you pronounce "Burly"?

"Burly" is pronounced /ˈbər-lē/ and divided into syllables as bur·ly.

What is the origin of the word "Burly"?

"Burly" comes from Middle English. First known use: 13th century.