sinew
Americannoun
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sinews
plural
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a tendon.
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Often sinews. the source of strength, power, or vigor.
the sinews of the nation.
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strength; power; resilience.
a man of great moral sinew.
verb (used with object)
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of sinew
before 900; Middle English; Old English sinu (nominative), sinuwe (genitive); cognate with Dutch zenuw, German Sehne, Old Norse sin; akin to Sanskrit snāva sinew
Explanation
The tendon that connects muscles to bone is also called sinew. The noun is also used to suggest strength and resilience, and is sometimes used as a literary term for muscle, literal or metaphorical, as in “a nation’s sinew.” Sinew derives from before 900 CE, with relatives found in the Dutch zenuw and the Old High German senawa. Our present spelling worked its way through the Old English seonowe to become the Middle English sinewe. Aside from its anatomical meaning, this word is often used to present an image of strength and power, evident in filmmaker Ingmar Bergman’s statement, “I write scripts to serve as skeletons awaiting the flesh and sinew of images.”
Vocabulary lists containing sinew
"Beowulf," Vocabulary from the epic poem
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Beowulf
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
But so much of the sort of sinew or the connective tissue between scenes and sequences comes from a process of yes and, yes and, yes and, which is the first rule of improv.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 13, 2025
Many other Ukrainian soldiers are still straining every sinew on the front lines, trying to at least slow the Russian advance.
From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2025
The nearly photorealistic face of Senua, the unconventional hero of this 10th-century revenge tale, as she grimaces with every sinew taut, her veins bulging.
From New York Times ● May 20, 2024
Ngannou's legs folded underneath him, more than 19 stone of bone, sinew and muscle going limp.
From BBC ● May 8, 2024
Oslak’s mate snatched a length of sinew and spun Torak round to measure his shoulders.
From "Wolf Brother" by Michelle Paver
It’s hard to imagine a greater accomplishment than to achieve peace while stiffening the sinews of deterrence.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026
“The idea was just to go look at the muscles and sinews that would be a good reference for us when we build it.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 6, 2024
Among the findings are arrows preserved with their original feathers, remains of fibres, and two bowstrings made of animal sinews, which are the oldest found so far in Europe.
From Science Daily ● Dec. 5, 2024
Tiger bone is believed to strengthen bones and sinews, provide pain relief and help get rid of wind.
From BBC ● Oct. 24, 2023
No other blade, not though mightier hands had wielded it, would have dealt that foe a wound so bitter, cleaving the undead flesh, breaking the spell that knit his unseen sinews to his will.
From "The Return of the King" by J.R.R. Tolkien
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
