stalwart
adjective
strongly and stoutly built; sturdy and robust.
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stalwart
1 American
[stawl-wert]
/ ˈstɔl wərt /
adjective
-
strongly and stoutly built; sturdy and robust.
-
strong and brave; valiant.
a stalwart knight.
-
firm, steadfast, or uncompromising.
a stalwart supporter of the U.N.
noun
-
stalwarts
plural
-
a physically stalwart person.
-
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
stalwart
British
/ ˈstɔːlwət /
adjective
-
strong and sturdy; robust
-
solid, dependable, and courageous
stalwart citizens
-
resolute and firm
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of stalwart
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English (Scots), variant of stalward, earlier stalwurthe; see stalworth
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.
Vocabulary lists containing stalwart
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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:
Kumuls stalwart Lachlan Lam - forced to miss this World Cup because he needs wrist surgery - likened the atmosphere to "a proper scream".
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
So the Scudetto winner we're plumping for here is Milan stalwart Fikayo Tomori.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
The company’s world-premiere production is a taut, skillful adaptation of the classic Norman Maclean novella about a stalwart Westerner and his gambling-addicted brother.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 24, 2026
Cornyn, the longtime incumbent, is a fundraising juggernaut and party stalwart who had never lost an election.
From Salon ● Sep. 18, 2026
It was a time when even the most stalwart of mice would wish to be an infant again in his mother’s warm embrace.
From "Abel's Island" by William Steig
Appeared in the September 30, 2026, print edition as 'Clarence Thomas, Stalwart for the Constitution'.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Stalwart bookstores Vroman’s in Pasadena and Book Soup in West Hollywood announced new ownership on Thursday, after a two-year search for a buyer.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 25, 2026
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
Stalwart defensive tackle Larry Ogunjobi suffered a foot injury that will sideline him for the rest of the playoffs.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 19, 2022
James Blaine, who had just rebuffed him, was a long-time Stalwart opponent.
From "Ambushed!" by Gail Jarrow
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
The archipelago of 10 islands in the Atlantic Ocean, with a population of just under 525,000 according to the latest figures from the World Bank, have now held their own against two World Cup stalwarts.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
With the exception of Brivik’s appearance, Bird took the stage solo, alternating between performing unreleased songs from an upcoming album and much-loved stalwarts from his 2005 breakout, “The Mysterious Production of Eggs.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
That was the last thing Jon Snow would have wanted, but before he could object, the king said, “Where would you have me lead these stalwarts if not against the Dreadfort?”
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
