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:
Kumuls stalwart Lachlan Lam - forced to miss this World Cup because he needs wrist surgery - likened the atmosphere to "a proper scream".
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
Jesse Watters, a stalwart of the network’s macho posturing, has spent weeks gushing over El-Sayed with an almost comical bewilderment.
From Salon ● Oct. 8, 2026
Nineties stalwart Gap is hoping to add fuel to its recent revival with another emblem of the era: a boy band about to start a mall tour.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 22, 2026
Network stalwart Mariska Hargitay, who’s starred in “Law & Order: Special Victims Unit” for 27 seasons, will host the show.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 14, 2026
Dorothy clicked away, capturing images of the stalwart Shoestring Glacier sitting astride the mountain’s rocky top.
From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone
Appeared in the September 30, 2026, print edition as 'Clarence Thomas, Stalwart for the Constitution'.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
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 Spokane product Armani Marsh accepted an extra year of eligibility and Armauni Archie will return from a season-ending injury.
From Seattle Times ● Jan. 5, 2022
Stalwart catcher Buster Posey, for example, turned in one of his best offensive seasons at 34.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 16, 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
U.S. retailers’ private-label brands, like Costco’s Kirkland and Walmart’s Great Value, are now serious competitive threats to Procter & Gamble, PepsiCo and other household-staples stalwarts, industry experts say.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 16, 2026
For stalwarts like Geoff though, the Wimbledon appeal has been there from the start.
From BBC ● Jul. 5, 2026
This new chapter started when the early AI stalwarts began serving as the next kingmakers of the market.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 25, 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
That was the last thing Jon Snow would have wanted, but before he could object, the king said, “Where would you have me lead these stalwarts if not against the Dreadfort?”
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
