stout
adjective
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stouted.
stout
1 American
[staut]
/ staʊt /
adjective
stouter,
stoutest
-
bulky in figure; heavily built; corpulent; thickset; fat.
She is getting too stout for her dresses.
-
bold, brave, or dauntless.
a stout heart; stout fellows.
- Synonyms:
- courageous, indomitable, fearless, intrepid, gallant, valiant
-
stout resistance.
- Synonyms:
- stanch, steadfast, indomitable, obstinate
-
a stout argument; a stout wind.
-
strong of body; hearty; sturdy.
stout seamen.
-
having endurance or staying power, as a horse.
-
strong in substance or body, as a beverage.
-
strong and thick or heavy.
a stout cudgel.
noun
-
stouts
plural
-
a dark, sweet brew made of roasted malt and having a higher percentage of hops than porter.
-
porter of extra strength.
-
a stout person.
-
a garment size designed for a stout man.
-
a garment, as a suit or overcoat, in this size.
Stout
2
American
[staut]
/ staʊt /
noun
-
Rex (Todhunter) 1886–1975, U.S. detective novelist.
-
Robert, 1844–1930, New Zealand jurist and statesman: prime minister 1884–87.
stout
1
British
/ staʊt /
adjective
-
solidly built or corpulent
-
(prenominal) resolute or valiant
stout fellow
-
strong, substantial, and robust
-
courage; resolution
noun
Stout
2
British
/ staʊt /
noun
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
-
overstoutnessnoun
-
stoutnessnoun
-
unstoutnessnoun
-
overstoutadjective
-
stoutishadjective
-
unstoutadjective
-
overstoutlyadverb
-
stoutlyadverb
-
unstoutlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Nouns
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.
Vocabulary lists containing stout
"Everyday Use" by Alice Walker
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"Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare, Act III
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"The First Day of School," Vocabulary from the short story
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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:
Denver is a tough place to play, and the Broncos defense is stout.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 24, 2026
About 70,000 pints worth of the stout, estimated to be worth £115,000, were taken from Whitehouse Industrial Estate on Aston Lane in Runcorn on Monday, Cheshire Police said.
From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026
Diageo–which makes Guinness stout and Johnnie Walker whisky–this month said it aims to save some $1 billion in total through an operational overhaul.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 27, 2026
That resilience bodes well for Scotland's third group game, where another stout defensive display is of vital importance.
From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026
The trail was warmly inviting in late afternoon sunlight—there were long shadows from the trees and expansive views across a river valley to stout, charcoal-colored mountains—and the meadow was indeed a perfect place to camp.
From "A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson
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
One trainer and his family were drawn to the "shining lights of the new facility" west of Brisbane, Simon Stout from Greyhounds Australasia told a parliamentary committee hearing in Tasmania on Wednesday.
From BBC ● Jul. 31, 2026
Stout had waived his right to a jury trial, opting instead to let Lucena decide his fate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 25, 2026
Some, like Democrats Johnny Garcia and Katy Padilla Stout, both running in Republican-leaning districts in South Texas, have maximum net worths of under $250,000.
From Salon ● Jul. 24, 2026
The one-armed lord could only be Harwood Stout, the snow lady Barbrey Dustin.
From "A Dance with Dragons" by George R. R. Martin
"A lot of pubs don't sell other stouts."
From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2024
Over three years at Founders Brewing, the 25-year-old saved enough money pouring IPAs, stouts and porters to pay cash for a 2009 Toyota Corolla.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 6, 2024
In the past three weeks, two Black-owned breweries have debuted in the Central District to large African American turnout, many hoisting hazy IPAs and stouts, and breaking boundaries in an industry with few Black owners.
From Seattle Times ● Jun. 29, 2022
With such an array of flavors and ways to make these stouts truly unique, surely there's a barrel-aged beer for everyone.
From Salon ● Feb. 15, 2022
"Some stouts are sweeter; some are a little lighter."
From O+F by John Moncure Wetterau
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
Things are a bit stouter on the defensive side where four teams, led by No. 22 Florida, among the top 20 in yards given up this season.
From Washington Times ● Sep. 27, 2023
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
Granted, he wasn’t facing the stoutest of defenses.
From Seattle Times ● Oct. 1, 2023
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
The pain, which is written on her face, would fell the stoutest soldier, but she does not complain.
From "Ophelia" by Lisa Klein
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