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• stalwart
  stalwart

  adjective

  strongly and stoutly built; sturdy and robust.
• Stalwart
  Stalwart

  noun

  a conservative Republican in the 1870s and 1880s, especially one opposed to civil service and other reforms during the administrations of presidents Rutherford B. Hayes and James A. Garfield.

stalwart

¹ American  

[stawl-wert] / ˈstɔl wərt /

adjective

1. 

   strongly and stoutly built; sturdy and robust.

2. strong and brave; valiant.

   a stalwart knight.

3. firm, steadfast, or uncompromising.

   a stalwart supporter of the U.N.

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noun

• stalwarts
  plural

1. a physically stalwart person.

2. a steadfast or uncompromising partisan.

   They counted on the party stalwarts for support in the off-year campaigns.

Stalwart ² American  

[stawl-wert] / ˈstɔl wərt /

noun

1. a conservative Republican in the 1870s and 1880s, especially one opposed to civil service and other reforms during the administrations of presidents Rutherford B. Hayes and James A. Garfield.

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stalwart British  

/ ˈstɔːlwət /

adjective

1. strong and sturdy; robust

2. solid, dependable, and courageous

   stalwart citizens

3. resolute and firm

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noun

1. a stalwart person, esp a supporter

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• stalwartness
  noun
• stalwartly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• stalwarts
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of stalwart

First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English (Scots), variant of stalward, earlier stalwurthe; see stalworth

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Explanation

To be stalwart is to be courageous and dependable, like a stalwart knight who defends a kingdom from a ferocious dragon. Stalwart can describe someone who's able to keep on going even when things get hard, like a marathon runner who doesn't slow down even after spraining an ankle, or a supporter of a political cause that everyone else has long declared over. In U.S. history, the word stalwart was used in 1877 to describe Republicans who remained unwilling to trust the South, even though the Civil War was long over by that time.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stalwart Stalwart stalwarts

Jesse Watters, a stalwart of the network’s macho posturing, has spent weeks gushing over El-Sayed with an almost comical bewilderment.

From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026

One story for Wakefield to thrive upon is the impending retirement of stalwart back-rower Jay Pitts.

From BBC ● Oct. 2, 2026

So the Scudetto winner we're plumping for here is Milan stalwart Fikayo Tomori.

From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026

Right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, the stalwart of the rotation, certainly has performed to the level of a Game 1 starter, both this season and in a heroic World Series run last year.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 26, 2026

He looked desperately sad and broken; even his stalwart manhood seemed to have shrunk somewhat under the strain of his much-tried emotions.

From "Dracula" by Bram Stoker

Appeared in the September 30, 2026, print edition as 'Clarence Thomas, Stalwart for the Constitution'.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026

Stalwart Seamus Coleman's second-half winner sent the home supporters into raptures, backing up their performance and win over Arsenal from two weeks ago.

From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2023

Stalwart of late-night commercials of the late ’90s and pop culture touchstone “Miss Cleo” died Tuesday after a battle with colon cancer, her lawyer confirmed to the Associated Press.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2022

Stalwart closer Aroldis Chapman’s average fastball velocity was 97.2 mph in his first five appearances, the lowest of his career for a player who built his reputation on velocity.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 19, 2022

He considered himself a Stalwart, and he knew they liked him.

From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow

AI model developers are increasingly working to make their own chips, putting pressure on industry stalwarts to ensure they can continue to offer better performing and less expensive options.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 28, 2026

There has been turnover at Arsenal this summer, with club stalwarts Beth Mead and Katie McCabe leaving for title rivals Manchester City and Chelsea respectively, and seven new signings already brought in.

From BBC ● Jul. 28, 2026

Much like the peak tech bubble year, serious doubts seem to have emerged about many stalwarts.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 21, 2026

The latest chapter started when the early AI stalwarts began serving as the next kingmakers of the market.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 24, 2026

But even though Mariela has been one of his stalwarts, she seems disengaged and in no shape to rise to the occasion and win a part.

From "Drama High" by Michael Sokolove

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Related Words

• dependable
• fearless
• indomitable
• intrepid
• redoubtable
• staunch
• stout
• tenacious
• vigorous

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