solid
Americanadjective
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having three dimensions (length, breadth, and thickness), as a geometrical body or figure.
- Synonyms:
- cubic
- Antonyms:
- flat
-
of or relating to bodies or figures of three dimensions.
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having the interior completely filled up, free from cavities, or not hollow.
a solid piece of chocolate.
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without openings or breaks.
a solid wall.
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firm, hard, or compact in substance.
solid ground.
- Synonyms:
- dense
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having relative firmness, coherence of particles, or persistence of form, as matter that is not liquid or gaseous.
solid particles suspended in a liquid.
- Antonyms:
- loose
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pertaining to such matter.
Water in a solid state is ice.
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dense, thick, or heavy in nature or appearance.
solid masses of cloud.
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not flimsy, slight, or light, as buildings, furniture, fabrics, or food; substantial.
- Synonyms:
- sound
-
of a substantial character; not superficial, trifling, or frivolous.
a solid work of scientific scholarship.
-
without separation or division; continuous.
a solid row of buildings.
- Synonyms:
- unbroken
- Antonyms:
- divided
-
whole or entire.
one solid hour.
-
forming the whole; consisting entirely of one substance or material.
solid gold.
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uniform in tone or shades, as a color.
a solid blue dress.
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real or genuine.
solid comfort.
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sound or reliable, as reasons or arguments.
solid facts.
-
sober-minded; fully reliable or sensible.
a solid citizen.
-
financially sound or strong.
Our company is solid.
- Synonyms:
- solvent
-
cubic.
A solid foot contains 1,728 solid inches.
-
written without a hyphen, as a compound word.
-
having the lines not separated by leads, or having few open spaces, as type or printing.
-
thorough, vigorous, great, big, etc. (with emphatic force, often aftergood ).
a good solid blow.
- Synonyms:
- strong
-
firmly united or consolidated.
a solid combination.
-
united or unanimous in opinion, policy, etc.
- Antonyms:
- divided
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on a friendly, favorable, or advantageous footing (often preceded byin ).
He was in solid with her parents.
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Slang. excellent, especially musically.
noun
-
a body or object having three dimensions (length, breadth, and thickness).
-
a solid substance or body; a substance exhibiting rigidity.
idioms
adjective
-
of, concerned with, or being a substance in a physical state in which it resists changes in size and shape Compare liquid gas
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consisting of matter all through
-
of the same substance all through
solid rock
-
sound; proved or provable
solid facts
-
reliable or sensible; upstanding
a solid citizen
-
firm, strong, compact, or substantial
a solid table
solid ground
-
(of a meal or food) substantial
-
(often postpositive) without interruption or respite; continuous
solid bombardment
-
financially sound or solvent
a solid institution
-
strongly linked or consolidated
a solid relationship
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geometry having or relating to three dimensions
a solid figure
solid geometry
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(of a word composed of two or more other words or elements) written or printed as a single word without a hyphen
-
printing with no space or leads between lines of type
-
unanimously in favour of
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(of a writer, work, performance, etc) adequate; sensible
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of or having a single uniform colour or tone
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informal excessive; unreasonably strict
noun
-
geometry
-
a closed surface in three-dimensional space
-
such a surface together with the volume enclosed by it
-
-
a solid substance, such as wood, iron, or diamond
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(plural) solid food, as opposed to liquid
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Physics One of four main states of matter, in which the molecules vibrate about fixed positions and cannot migrate to other positions in the substance. Unlike a gas or liquid, a solid has a fixed shape, and unlike a gas, a solid has a fixed volume. In most solids (with exceptions such as glass), the molecules are arranged in crystal lattices of various sizes.
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Mathematics A geometric figure that has three dimensions.
Related Words
See firm 1.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of solid
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English solide, from Old French solide, from Latin solidus “dense, compact”
Explanation
A solid, as opposed to a liquid or gas, has a size and shape to it. It doesn't flow like water or disappear into the air. At first glance, solid appears to be a simple word, but it really offers shades of meaning. A solid friend is dependable. If you give a solid performance, it was very good, though not quite great. Likewise, if you achieve a solid win, you win by a large, but not huge, majority. In a less figurative use, if a piece of chocolate is solid — as opposed to hollow — it is chocolate throughout.
Vocabulary lists containing solid
The SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 3
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The New SAT: Multiple-Meaning Words
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
The ACT Reading Test: Multiple-Meaning Words, List 3
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
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.
Firms who may have a solid case to defend themselves find it harder to do so because delays mean people leave their company and, on occasion, a key witness may have even died.
From BBC • May 20, 2026
Global X India Active is also a solid actively managed choice.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
“Until we get really ramped up and have a solid training program, I think astronauts need to take more ownership of the training and be involved so we can share this experience,” Glover said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Eric Schmidt, 57, and Kevin Mahaffy, 58, spent about a decade working on liquid propulsion testing and solid rocket motors for the Air Force Research Laboratory.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
Jonah felt so dizzy, even solid brick was barely enough to hold him up.
From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
