sinew
Americannoun
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a tendon.
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Often sinews. the source of strength, power, or vigor.
the sinews of the nation.
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strength; power; resilience.
a man of great moral sinew.
verb (used with object)
noun
Other Word Forms
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.”
Vocabulary lists containing sinew
"Beowulf," Vocabulary from the epic poem
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Beowulf
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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.
Earlier, Mahmood said the government would provide "an enhanced police presence that will continue", adding: "We will strain every sinew to keep our Jewish community safe."
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
“Fox” has the bones of a potboiler but is supported by the sinew of the author’s elegant structure and syntax.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 16, 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
I strained every sinew in training to try and find that one delivery that would click me back in to gear.
From BBC • Oct. 20, 2023
I then made a ring and fastened it to the end of the shaft, and into this ring fitted the head, which was tied to a long string made of braided sinew.
From "Island of the Blue Dolphins" by Scott O'Dell
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.
