robust
Americanadjective
-
strong and healthy; hardy; vigorous.
a robust young man; a robust faith; a robust mind.
- Antonyms:
- feeble
-
strongly or stoutly built.
his robust frame.
- Antonyms:
- weak
-
suited to or requiring bodily strength or endurance.
robust exercise.
-
rough, rude, or boisterous.
robust drinkers and dancers.
- Synonyms:
- rambunctious, coarse
-
rich and full-bodied.
the robust flavor of freshly brewed coffee.
-
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.
adjective
-
strong in constitution; hardy; vigorous
-
sturdily built
a robust shelter
-
requiring or suited to physical strength
a robust sport
-
(esp of wines) having a rich full-bodied flavour
-
rough or boisterous
-
(of thought, intellect, etc) straightforward and imbued with common sense
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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
Explanation
Use robust to describe a person or thing that is healthy and strong, or strongly built. This adjective also commonly describes food or drink: a robust wine has a rich, strong flavor. If your school has a robust sports program, it means they offer lots of different kinds of sports and that a lot of kids participate. If you have a robust speaking voice, it means you have a voice that's deep and loud and strong. Robust is from Latin robustus "of oak, hard, strong," from robur "oak tree, strength."
Vocabulary lists containing robust
"The Necklace" by Guy de Maupassant
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Born a Crime
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This Week in Words: August 11 - 17, 2018
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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.
Big picture: Robust retail sales in the first three months of the year could pave the way for a rebound in gross domestic product in the first quarter.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 21, 2026
Developer Adam Riches, of indie studio Robust Games, told BBC News the different levels of funding could be good news for companies like his.
From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026
Robust exports indicate that the competitive edge of China’s auto industry is strengthening and overseas demand remains strong, the industry body added.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 12, 2026
Robust Chinese demand for coal imports from Indonesia is fueled by new power capacity and slower production in China, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 10, 2026
Robust natures, as we have said, are sometimes almost overthrown by sudden great misfortunes; but not quite.
From Toilers of the Sea by Hugo, Victor
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.
