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Synonyms

robust

American  
[roh-buhst, roh-buhst] / roʊˈbʌst, ˈroʊ bʌst /

adjective

  1. strong and healthy; hardy; vigorous.

    a robust young man; a robust faith; a robust mind.

    Synonyms:
    sound, powerful
    Antonyms:
    feeble
  2. strongly or stoutly built.

    his robust frame.

    Antonyms:
    weak
  3. suited to or requiring bodily strength or endurance.

    robust exercise.

  4. rough, rude, or boisterous.

    robust drinkers and dancers.

    Synonyms:
    rambunctious, coarse
  5. rich and full-bodied.

    the robust flavor of freshly brewed coffee.

  6. strong and effective in all or most situations and conditions.

    The system requires robust passwords that contain at least one number or symbol.

    Our goal is to devise robust statistical methods.


robust British  
/ ˈrəʊbʌst, rəʊˈbʌst /

adjective

  1. strong in constitution; hardy; vigorous

  2. sturdily built

    a robust shelter

  3. requiring or suited to physical strength

    a robust sport

  4. (esp of wines) having a rich full-bodied flavour

  5. rough or boisterous

  6. (of thought, intellect, etc) straightforward and imbued with common sense

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • robustly adverb
  • robustness noun
  • unrobust adjective
  • unrobustly adverb
  • unrobustness noun

Etymology

Origin of robust

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin rōbustus “oaken, hard, strong,” equivalent to rōbus- (stem of rōbur “oak, strength”) + -tus, adjective suffix

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.

On the diplomatic front, the UN Security Council is set to vote Tuesday on a watered-down resolution addressing Iran's threats to the strait, diplomatic sources told AFP, after more robust earlier drafts faced potential vetoes.

From Barron's • Apr. 7, 2026

However, hedging activity tied to the S&P 500 has also remained robust, according to Joe Mazzola, head trading and derivatives strategist at Charles Schwab.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 7, 2026

A device rated for 700 degrees would be extremely robust at the roughly 125-degree temperatures often reached inside automotive electronics.

From Science Daily • Apr. 7, 2026

The implication of his argument is that a “more robust multilateralism” would end the horrific violence being witnessed around the world.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 5, 2026

These included my parents, who were both robust Methodists.

From "The Evolution of Calpurnia Tate" by Jacqueline Kelly