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View synonyms for burly

burly

[ bur-lee ]

adjective

, bur·li·er, bur·li·est.
  1. large in bodily size; stout; sturdy.

    Synonyms: hefty, beefy, thickset, brawny, stocky, strapping

    Antonyms: frail, weak, puny

  2. bluff; brusque.


burly

/ ˈbɜːlɪ /

adjective

  1. large and thick of build; sturdy; stout


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Derived Forms

  • ˈburliness, noun

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Other Words From

  • burli·ly adverb
  • burli·ness noun
  • un·burly adjective

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Word History and Origins

Origin of burly1

1250–1300; Middle English borli, burli, Old English borlīce (adv.) excellently, equivalent to bor ( a ) ruler + -līce -ly

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Word History and Origins

Origin of burly1

C13: of Germanic origin; compare Old High German burlīh lofty

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Example Sentences

A burly Belgian, strapped with grenades and ammunition, towered above them.

Based on his sock puppet, I expected him to be a burly bearded giant clad in plaid—basically, a Canadian Paul Bunyan.

The film tells the story of Ron “Stray Dog” Hall, a burly, sixtysomething biker and Vietnam vet.

She tried the direct, how-do-you-do handshake approach, but was blocked by a burly aide-de-camp.

In recent years, Montana has been electing a certain breed of burly, alpha male Democrats.

Tom himself was burly, ruddy, broad, and rather above middle size.

This hurly-burly,” said he, drawing her into a quiet eddy of the stream, “is no place for the communion of two twin souls.

Out of a dark porch, ten paces along Bond Street, appeared a burly figure to fall into step a few yards behind Gray.

A man, burly and broad-shouldered, who had the air of a professional bully, walked by himself ahead.

A burly warrior scooped up coals on a piece of bark and with a fiendish grin leaped through the smoke.

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burlwoodBurma