strong

[ strawng, strong ]

/ strɔŋ, strɒŋ /

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See synonyms for: strong / stronger / strongest / strongly on Thesaurus.com

adjective, strong·er

[strawng-ger, strong-], /ˈstrɔŋ gər, ˈstrɒŋ-/, strong·est

[strawng-gist, strong-]. /ˈstrɔŋ gɪst, ˈstrɒŋ-/.

having, showing, or able to exert great bodily or muscular power; physically vigorous or robust: a strong boy.

accompanied or delivered by great physical, mechanical, etc., power or force: a strong handshake;With one strong blow the machine stamped out a fender.

mentally powerful or vigorous: He may be old, but his mind is still strong.

especially able, competent, or powerful in a specific field or respect: She's very strong in mathematics.He's weak at bat, but he's a strong fielder.

of great moral power, firmness, or courage: strong under temptation.

powerful in influence, authority, resources, or means of prevailing or succeeding: a strong nation.

aggressive; willful: a strong personality.

of great force, effectiveness, potency, or cogency; compelling: strong reasons;strong arguments.

clear and firm; loud: He has a strong voice.

solid or stable; healthy; thriving: The banker predicted a strong economy.

well-supplied or rich in something specific: a strong hand in trumps.

having powerful means to resist attack, assault, or aggression: a strong fortress;a strong defense.

able to resist strain, force, wear, etc.: strong walls;strong cloth.

decisively unyielding; firm or uncompromising: She has strong views about the United Nations. He has a strong sense of duty.

fervent; zealous; thoroughgoing: He's a strong Democrat.

strenuous or energetic; vigorous: strong efforts.

moving or acting with force or vigor: strong winds.

distinct or marked; vivid, as impressions, resemblance or contrast: He bears a strong resemblance to his grandfather.

intense, as light or color.

having a large proportion of the effective or essential properties or ingredients; concentrated: strong tea.

(of a beverage or food) containing much alcohol: strong drink; The fruitcake was too strong.

having a high degree of flavor or odor: strong cheese;strong perfume.

having an unpleasant or offensive flavor or odor, especially in the process of decay: strong butter.

of a designated number: Marines 20,000 strong.

Commerce. characterized by steady or advancing prices: The market resumed its strong pace after yesterday's setback.

Grammar.

(of Germanic verbs) having vowel change in the root in inflected forms, as the English verbs sing, sang, sung; ride, rode, ridden.
(of Germanic nouns and adjectives) inflected with endings that are generally distinctive of case, number, and gender, as German alter Mann “old man.”
belonging to the morphophonemically less regular of two inflectional subtypes.

(of a word or syllable) stressed.

Optics. having great magnifying or refractive power: a strong microscope.

adverb

strongly.

OTHER WORDS FOR strong

1 mighty, sturdy, brawny, sinewy, hardy, muscular, stout, stalwart.

4 talented, capable, efficient.

5 valiant, brave.

7 bold, intense.

8 persuasive, cogent, impressive; conclusive.

10 steady, firm, secure.

14 unwavering, resolute.

15 fervid, vehement.

18 striking; unmistakable, clear.

19 brilliant, vivid.

22 pungent, aromatic; sharp, piquant, hot, tangy, tart.

23 smelly, rank.

See synonyms for strong on Thesaurus.com

OPPOSITES FOR strong

1 weak.

See antonyms for strong on Thesaurus.com

QUIZ

CAN YOU ANSWER THESE COMMON GRAMMAR DEBATES?

There are grammar debates that never die; and the ones highlighted in the questions in this quiz are sure to rile everyone up once again. Do you know how to answer the questions that cause some of the greatest grammar debates?

Question 1 of 7

Which sentence is correct?

His boss, whom he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

His boss, who he admires, is waiting to meet with him about the big project.

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Idioms about strong

come on strong, Slang. to behave in an aggressive, ardent, or flamboyant manner: When you're interviewed for the job, don't come on too strong.

Origin of strong

First recorded before 900; (adjective) Middle English strang, strong, Old English; cognate with Middle Dutch stranc, Old Norse strangr; (adverb) Middle English strange, stronge, Old English; cognate with Old High German strango; akin to string

OTHER WORDS FROM strong

strongish, adjectivestrongly, adverbstrongness, nouno·ver·strong, adjective

o·ver·strong·ly, adverbo·ver·strong·ness, nounself-strong, adjectivesu·per·strong, adjective

Words nearby strong

stromateid, stromateoid, stromatolite, Stromboli, Strombolian, strong, strong accumulation point, strong-arm, strongbark, strongbox, strong breeze

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use strong in a sentence

Hoppe had planned to enroll at San Diego State, but the pull of Europe became too strong.
Matthew Hoppe was a little-known American soccer player — until he reached the Bundesliga|Steven Goff|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
It stands to reason, then, that stronger, more connected and more trusting communities would have more success weathering the pandemic.
Researchers identify social factors inoculating some communities against coronavirus|Christopher Ingraham|February 11, 2021|Washington Post
“We are still very far from a strong labor market whose benefits are broadly shared,” Powell said.
Fed chair: Unemployment rate was closer to 10 percent, not 6.3 percent, in January|Rachel Siegel|February 10, 2021|Washington Post
Direct-drive models usually cost less, but chippers with a clutch-drive often can handle tougher waste thanks to their stronger engines.
Wood chippers to keep your property looking great|PopSci Commerce Team|February 9, 2021|Popular-Science

Each death is a tragedy that breaks our hearts and demands strong, urgent action.
Rep. Ron Wright has died after battle with covid-19|Paulina Firozi, David Weigel|February 8, 2021|Washington Post
Despite the strong language, however, the neither the JPO nor Lockheed could dispute a single fact in either Daily Beast report.
Pentagon Misfires in Stealth Jet Scandal|Dave Majumdar|January 8, 2015|DAILY BEAST
She fills her characters up—strong women beating back against a sexist system—with so much heart.
Oscars 2015: The Daily Beast’s Picks, From Scarlett Johansson to ‘Boyhood’|Marlow Stern|January 6, 2015|DAILY BEAST
In a romantic relationship, facing humiliation or awkwardness is a strong possibility.
Random Hook-Ups or Dry Spells: Why Millennials Flunk College Dating|Ellie Schaack|January 1, 2015|DAILY BEAST
The strong ties he would cultivate with America were first instilled by his American mother.
The Real-Life ‘Downton’ Millionairesses Who Changed Britain|Tim Teeman|December 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The area is 98 percent white, and the Klan has a strong foothold even to this very day.
What Would Happen if I Got in White Cop’s Face?|Goldie Taylor|December 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She skilfully manages the side-lights, and by this means produces strong effects.
Women in the fine arts, from the Seventh Century B.C. to the Twentieth Century A.D.|Clara Erskine Clement
The garrison of the town and fortress was nearly three thousand strong.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV.|Various
The well-known "cock and bull" stories of small children are inspired by this love of strong effect.
Children's Ways|James Sully
Those in whom the impulse is strong and dominant are perhaps those who in later years make the good society actors.
Children's Ways|James Sully
In Luke it is said, “And the child grew, and waxed strong in spirit, filled with wisdom.”
Solomon and Solomonic Literature|Moncure Daniel Conway

British Dictionary definitions for strong

strong

/ (strɒŋ) /

adjective stronger (ˈstrɒŋɡə) or strongest (ˈstrɒŋɡɪst)

involving or possessing physical or mental strength

solid or robust in construction; not easily broken or injured

having a resolute will or morally firm and incorruptible character

intense in quality; not faint or feeblea strong voice; a strong smell

easily defensible; incontestable or formidable

concentrated; not weak or diluted

(postpositive) containing or having a specified numbera navy 40 000 strong
(in combination)a 40 000-strong navy

having an unpleasantly powerful taste or smell

having an extreme or drastic effectstrong discipline

emphatic or immoderatestrong language

convincing, effective, or cogent

(of a colour) having a high degree of saturation or purity; being less saturated than a vivid colour but more so than a moderate colour; produced by a concentrated quantity of colouring agent

grammar

denoting or belonging to a class of verbs, in certain languages including the Germanic languages, whose conjugation shows vowel gradation, as sing, sang, sung
belonging to any part-of-speech class, in any of various languages, whose inflections follow the less regular of two possible patternsCompare weak (def. 10)

(of a wind, current, etc) moving fast

(of a syllable) accented or stressed

(of an industry, market, currency, securities, etc) firm in price or characterized by firm or increasing prices

(of certain acids and bases) producing high concentrations of hydrogen or hydroxide ions in aqueous solution

Irish prosperous; well-to-do (esp in the phrase a strong farmer)

have a strong stomach not to be prone to nausea

adverb

informal in a strong way; effectivelygoing strong

come on strong to make a forceful or exaggerated impression

Derived forms of strong

strongish, adjectivestrongly, adverbstrongness, noun

Word Origin for strong

Old English strang; related to Old Norse strangr, Middle High German strange, Lettish strans courageous

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with strong

strong

In addition to the idioms beginning with strong

strong point
strong silent type
strong suit

also see:

come on strong

strong

OTHER WORDS FOR strong

OPPOSITES FOR strong

Idioms about strong

Origin of strong

OTHER WORDS FROM strong

Words nearby strong

Words related to strong

How to use strong in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for strong

Derived forms of strong

Word Origin for strong

Other Idioms and Phrases with strong