sinew

American  

[sin-yoo] / ˈsɪn ju /

noun

• sinews
  plural

1. a tendon.

2. Often sinews. the source of strength, power, or vigor.

   the sinews of the nation.

3. strength; power; resilience.

   a man of great moral sinew.

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verb (used with object)

1. to furnish with sinews; strengthen, as by sinews.

sinew British  

/ ˈsɪnjuː /

noun

1. anatomy another name for tendon

2. (often plural)

   1. a source of strength or power

   2. a literary word for muscle

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• sinewless
  adjective
• unsinewed
  adjective
• unsinewing
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• sinews
  plural

Etymology

Origin of sinew

before 900; Middle English; Old English sinu (nominative), sinuwe (genitive); cognate with Dutch zenuw, German Sehne, Old Norse sin; akin to Sanskrit snāva sinew

Explanation

The tendon that connects muscles to bone is also called sinew. The noun is also used to suggest strength and resilience, and is sometimes used as a literary term for muscle, literal or metaphorical, as in “a nation’s sinew.” Sinew derives from before 900 CE, with relatives found in the Dutch zenuw and the Old High German senawa. Our present spelling worked its way through the Old English seonowe to become the Middle English sinewe. Aside from its anatomical meaning, this word is often used to present an image of strength and power, evident in filmmaker Ingmar Bergman’s statement, “I write scripts to serve as skeletons awaiting the flesh and sinew of images.”

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sinew sinews

Players who don't have the manager's back might not strain every last sinew when they know his job is hanging by a thread.

From BBC ● Sep. 28, 2025

Many other Ukrainian soldiers are still straining every sinew on the front lines, trying to at least slow the Russian advance.

From BBC ● Jan. 17, 2025

The nearly photorealistic face of Senua, the unconventional hero of this 10th-century revenge tale, as she grimaces with every sinew taut, her veins bulging.

From New York Times ● May 20, 2024

Bud wasn’t physically imposing, not all sinew and shoulders — but he was meticulously built.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 23, 2023

Ben felt a slight quivering in his thighs as though sinew had turned to gelatin; his knees felt vulnerable, even collapsible, the higher up the ladder he went.

From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy

It’s hard to imagine a greater accomplishment than to achieve peace while stiffening the sinews of deterrence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026

“The idea was just to go look at the muscles and sinews that would be a good reference for us when we build it.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 6, 2024

Among the findings are arrows preserved with their original feathers, remains of fibres, and two bowstrings made of animal sinews, which are the oldest found so far in Europe.

From Science Daily ● Dec. 5, 2024

Such phase transitions could give rise to cosmic strings, hypothesized one-dimensional sinews of energy that can warp, snap and break as they undulate through the universe, producing gravitational waves.

From Scientific American ● Aug. 4, 2023

They noted his bearing and the strength in his chest; they saw the sinews in his throat.

From "Snow Falling on Cedars: A Novel" by David Guterson

Related Words

• tendon