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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

That resilience bodes well for Scotland's third group game, where another stout defensive display is of vital importance.

From BBC ● Jun. 21, 2026

As the head of beer quality for Guinness in the U.S., it’s his job to make sure that bartenders have everything they need to deliver drinkers a perfect pint of the brand’s signature stout.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 19, 2026

"Interior, again, some big stout guys that can really push the pocket."

From Barron's ● Jan. 16, 2026

Cleveland relies on its stout defense, but that unit didn’t show up in Week 15 against Chicago, surrendering 31 points.

From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 18, 2025

Since their fight, “Mount Hood had been afraid, while St. Helens, having a stout heart, still burns.”

From "Mountain of Fire" by Rebecca E. F. Barone

The woman told the judge she then saw Stout blend into the crowd of people rushing to evacuate from the Alligator Hole swimming area.

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

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

Stout and slightly gruff, Dipper has a digital face that can approximate more than 40 expressions.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 6, 2026

Stout new gates had gone up first, to replace those that had been burned.

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

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

From BBC ● Dec. 8, 2024

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

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 8, 2023

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

American brewing excels at extremes, delivering brawny stouts and I.P.A.s as well as nonalcoholic beers that are growing in quality and sales.

From New York Times ● Feb. 11, 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

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

She was shorter and stouter than Muriel, with hair the color of cinnamon and sugar.

From "Fablehaven" by Brandon Mull

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

A flagon of your stoutest for my friend.

From New York Times ● Oct. 14, 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

In this awful situation, the stoutest hearts began to fail.

From "An American Plague: The True and Terrifying Story of the Yellow Fever Epidemic of 1793" by Jim Murphy

Related Words

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