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• stout
  stout

  adjective

  bulky in figure; heavily built; corpulent; thickset; fat.
• Stout
  Stout

  noun

  Rex (Todhunter) 1886–1975, U.S. detective novelist.

stout

¹ American  

[stout] / staʊt /

adjective

stouter, stoutest

1. bulky in figure; heavily built; corpulent; thickset; fat.

   She is getting too stout for her dresses.

   Synonyms:

   fleshy, portly, stocky, rotund, big

   Antonyms:

   skinny, slim, slender, lean, thin, scrawny

2. bold, brave, or dauntless.

   a stout heart; stout fellows.

   Synonyms:

   courageous, indomitable, fearless, intrepid, gallant, valiant

   Antonyms:

   fearful, timid, cowardly, craven, timorous

3. firm; stubborn; resolute.

   stout resistance.

   Synonyms:

   stanch, steadfast, indomitable, obstinate

4. forceful; vigorous.

   a stout argument; a stout wind.

   Synonyms:

   violent, sharp, intense

5. strong of body; hearty; sturdy.

   stout seamen.

   Synonyms:

   robust, husky, strapping, sinewy, brawny

6. having endurance or staying power, as a horse.

   Synonyms:

   steady, stalwart

7. strong in substance or body, as a beverage.

   Antonyms:

   flat, bland, tasteless, weak

8. strong and thick or heavy.

   a stout cudgel.

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noun

• stouts
  plural

1. a dark, sweet brew made of roasted malt and having a higher percentage of hops than porter.

2. porter of extra strength.

3. a stout person.

4. a garment size designed for a stout man.

5. a garment, as a suit or overcoat, in this size.

Stout ² American  

[stout] / staʊt /

noun

1. Rex (Todhunter) 1886–1975, U.S. detective novelist.

2. Robert, 1844–1930, New Zealand jurist and statesman: prime minister 1884–87.

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stout ¹ British  

/ staʊt /

adjective

1. solidly built or corpulent

2. (prenominal) resolute or valiant

   stout fellow

3. strong, substantial, and robust

4. courage; resolution

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noun

1. strong porter highly flavoured with malt

Stout ² British  

/ staʊt /

noun

1. Sir Robert. 1844–1930, New Zealand statesman, born in Scotland: prime minister of New Zealand (1884–87)

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Synonym Usage

Stout, fat, plump imply corpulence of body. Stout describes a heavily built but usually strong and healthy body: a handsome stout lady. Fat, an informal word with unpleasant connotations, suggests an unbecoming fleshy stoutness; it may, however, apply also to a hearty fun-loving type of stout person: a fat old man; fat and jolly. Plump connotes a pleasing roundness and is often used as a complimentary or euphemistic equivalent for stout, fleshy, etc.: a pleasingly plump figure attractively dressed.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• overstoutness
  noun
• stoutness
  noun
• unstoutness
  noun
• overstout
  adjective
• stoutish
  adjective
• unstout
  adjective
• overstoutly
  adverb
• stoutly
  adverb
• unstoutly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• stouts
  plural

Etymology

Origin of stout

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English adjective stute, from Old French estout “bold, proud,” from Germanic; compare Middle Dutch stout “bold,” Middle Low German stolt, Middle High German stolz “proud”

Explanation

Stout describes something fat, dependable, or rugged. If someone calls you stout, ask them exactly what they mean before bursting into tears and skipping dinner. It could be a compliment! Most supermodels would not want to be described as stout, which is often a nicer way of saying "fat." But a little teapot doesn't mind being "short and stout." Something stout is dependable, too, like your favorite snow boots that keep your feet dry winter after winter. Since it also means "sturdy," if you call that supermodel stout when he prances through the finish line of a triathlon, he'll just pump his fist in agreement.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

stout Stout stouts stouter stoutest

Think about drinks produced in Ireland and you'd probably picture a creamy pint of stout or a tumbler of amber whiskey.

From BBC ● Aug. 16, 2026

And although Panis admitted he is "not that big" of a Guinness fan, he didn't hesitate when asked whether he would try the 162-year-old stout if experts declared it safe.

From BBC ● Aug. 7, 2026

One man was summarily expelled after he posted a shot of Baby Guinness, a coffee-liqueur cocktail that looks like a stout but has no actual beer in it.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Diageo, the maker of Guinness stout and Smirnoff vodka, cut its sales outlook and slashed shareholder payouts Wednesday, as its new chief executive seeks to revive the struggling drinks group.

From Barron's ● Feb. 25, 2026

Under the stout, gray cylinder of the water tower on its commanding hill, the sandbar curved out into the sea.

From "The Bell Jar" by Sylvia Plath

Starring newcomers Dominic McLaughlin as Harry Potter, Alastair Stout as Ronald Weasley and Arabella Stanton as Hermione Granger, the series promises a richer, more detailed adaptation of the books, along with a more contemporary feel.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 1, 2026

Around three hours later, Palade testified that he contacted Stout by phone.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026

Garcia disclosed only a pension, worth $100,001 to $250,000, while Padilla Stout only listed a bank account, a mutual fund and her spouse’s retirement plans.

From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026

The chosen ones - Dominic McLaughlin, Arabella Stanton and Alastair Stout - are all relative newcomers.

From BBC ● Mar. 25, 2026

Harwood Stout bowed stiffly and relinquished his hall without a word.

From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin

"A lot of pubs don't sell other stouts."

From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2024

The Fremont hot spot put on events spotlighting stouts, sours, barleywines and barrel-aged ales, often drawing lines hours before the doors opened for these events.

From Seattle Times ● May 28, 2024

Originally, the addition of lactose to beer was largely limited to what were called milk stouts.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 8, 2023

And this past year, Anchorage began releasing several stouts on Tavour, meaning every month or so you had an easier chance of trying the rare elixirs.

From Salon ● Feb. 15, 2022

For mild ales and porters about 3 to 4 lb, for light pale ales and light stouts 6 to 10 lb, and for strong ales and stouts 9 to 15 lb of hops are employed.

From Encyclopaedia Britannica, 11th Edition, Volume 4, Part 3 "Brescia" to "Bulgaria" by Various

Mr. Walesa is now 82 and stouter than he was when he hurdled that fence.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 13, 2026

Some snakes, such as boa constrictors, had long, slender upright teeth, whereas others, such as king snakes, had shorter, stouter, and more curved ones.

From Science Magazine ● Jan. 4, 2024

The coach was hoping that this year would be stouter from the start.

From Seattle Times ● Nov. 3, 2022

The researchers suspect physical activity changes levels of brain chemicals related to mood, such as dopamine and serotonin, and reduces inflammation throughout the body and brain, contributing physiologically to stouter mental health.

From New York Times ● Jan. 12, 2022

Pumpkin had been a little stouter than Johnny.

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes

On X, formerly Twitter, Elbridge Colby, a former US deputy assistant secretary of defence in the Trump administration, wrote that Japan and India "are two of our very stoutest and important allies".

From BBC ● May 2, 2024

Grover Stewart and the Colts have been one of the stoutest run defenses in the NFL.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 30, 2022

Now he was being thrust into 70 snaps against one of the Pac-12’s stoutest interiors.

From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 4, 2022

Golfers rarely dwell on the past; even the best hit enough bad shots to break the stoutest heart.

From Seattle Times ● Sep. 26, 2021

The pain, which is written on her face, would fell the stoutest soldier, but she does not complain.

From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein

Related Words

• hulking
• indomitable
• muscular
• staunch
• sturdy
• tenacious
• vigorous