burly

[bur-lee]

adjective

burlier, burliest 

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

Other Word Forms

• burlily adverb
• burliness noun
• unburly adjective

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of burly¹

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

Example Sentences

Like sailors hoisting a mighty sail, burly stagehands hauled thick ropes hand over hand to roll back the stage curtain, and the performance began.

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Penelope had to dodge piles of lumber and burly workmen holding jagged-edged saws, but it did not slow her approach.

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A burly doorman stood watch at the entrance; happily, his uniform did not include a single tuft of fur.

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Even the burly Apollo Creed himself, Carl Weathers, doesn’t go down without losing his entire arm in a single laser slice.

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They came dressed in khakis and polo shirts and were surrounded by burly men in tight black t-shirts who appeared to be taking the day off from hunting illegal immigrants with the local militia.

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Related Words

• able-bodied 
• athletic 
• beefy 
• brawny 
• bulky 
• hulking 
• muscular 
• portly 
• stocky 
• stout 
• strapping 
• sturdy