stalwart
adjective
strongly and stoutly built; sturdy and robust.
stalwart
1 American
[stawl-wert]
/ ˈstɔl wərt /
adjective
-
strongly and stoutly built; sturdy and robust.
-
strong and brave; valiant.
a stalwart knight.
-
firm, steadfast, or uncompromising.
a stalwart supporter of the U.N.
noun
stalwarts
plural
-
a physically stalwart person.
-
a steadfast or uncompromising partisan.
They counted on the party stalwarts for support in the off-year campaigns.
Stalwart
2
American
[stawl-wert]
/ ˈstɔl wərt /
noun
stalwart
British
/ ˈstɔːlwət /
adjective
-
strong and sturdy; robust
-
solid, dependable, and courageous
stalwart citizens
-
resolute and firm
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of stalwart
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English (Scots), variant of stalward, earlier stalwurthe; see stalworth
Explanation
To be stalwart is to be courageous and dependable, like a stalwart knight who defends a kingdom from a ferocious dragon. Stalwart can describe someone who's able to keep on going even when things get hard, like a marathon runner who doesn't slow down even after spraining an ankle, or a supporter of a political cause that everyone else has long declared over. In U.S. history, the word stalwart was used in 1877 to describe Republicans who remained unwilling to trust the South, even though the Civil War was long over by that time.
Vocabulary lists containing stalwart
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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.
See Examples For:
Shot quickly by stalwart director Jeff Tremaine this spring, half of it is a clip reel of past hits, like the time fan favorite Steve-O slingshotted into the sky in a port-a-potty.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 26, 2026
His standing ebbed further when a long-simmering row behind the scenes over defence spending prompted Labour stalwart John Healey to resign as defence secretary earlier this month.
From BBC ● Jun. 22, 2026
With a stalwart central bank keeping real interest rates north of 6%, bond investors are getting paid for risk.
From Barron's ● Jun. 22, 2026
In Spielberg’s eyes, another disaster would cause the stalwart nationalism to crumble.
From Salon ● Jun. 13, 2026
The absentminded, fluff-haired little clergyman and his stalwart wife drifted into her memory.
From "Go Set a Watchman: A Novel" by Harper Lee
Stalwart Seamus Coleman's second-half winner sent the home supporters into raptures, backing up their performance and win over Arsenal from two weeks ago.
From BBC ● Feb. 18, 2023
Stalwart of late-night commercials of the late ’90s and pop culture touchstone “Miss Cleo” died Tuesday after a battle with colon cancer, her lawyer confirmed to the Associated Press.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 16, 2022
Stalwart closer Aroldis Chapman’s average fastball velocity was 97.2 mph in his first five appearances, the lowest of his career for a player who built his reputation on velocity.
From Washington Post ● Apr. 19, 2022
Stalwart conservative Elisabeth Hasselbeck made it a full 10 years before deciding she'd had enough.
From Salon ● Oct. 22, 2021
She thought of Stalwart Shield, of Missandei’s brother, of the woman Rylona Rhee, who had played the harp so beautifully.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
"They're alienating a hell of a lot of people who are athletics fans and potential stalwarts within the sport."
From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026
With the exception of Brivik’s appearance, Bird took the stage solo, alternating between performing unreleased songs from an upcoming album and much-loved stalwarts from his 2005 breakout, “The Mysterious Production of Eggs.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 16, 2026
Nvidia took the top spot in WSJ’s inaugural ranking of “Best Companies for the Future,” topping a list heavy on tech stalwarts as AI reshapes business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
“The stalwarts of linear TV are really threatened by this new model, which is hostile to their very structure.”
From MarketWatch ● May 7, 2026
This was a departure from the days of decorous protest, and many of the old stalwarts of the ANC were to fade away in this new era of greater militancy.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
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.
