sturdy
1 Americanadjective
-
sturdier,
comparative
-
sturdiest
superlative
-
strongly built; stalwart; robust.
sturdy young athletes.
- Antonyms:
- weak
-
strong, as in substance, construction, or texture.
sturdy walls.
-
firm; courageous; indomitable.
the sturdy defenders of the Alamo.
- Synonyms:
- unconquerable, determined, vigorous, resolute
-
of strong or hardy growth, as a plant.
noun
adjective
-
healthy, strong, and vigorous
-
strongly built; stalwart
noun
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of sturdy1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English stourdi, from Old French estourdi “dazed, reckless, stunned, violent,” past participle of estourdir “to daze, stun,” of disputed origin; perhaps ultimately from Latin ex- ex- 1 ( def. ) + a verb derivative of torpidus “numb,” turbus “disturbed,” or turdus “thrush”
Origin of sturdy2
First recorded in 1560–70; noun use of sturdy 1 in obsolete sense “giddy”
Explanation
Describe something that is firmly constructed or strongly made as sturdy. That house you built was not sturdy at all. It blew down in the last wind storm. Fortunately, it was only a dog house and the dog wasn't in it. Physical strength and robust health can also be described as sturdy. Your grandmother is pushing 80, but she is still pretty sturdy if she can beat you at tennis. The adjective sturdy can also describe something (or someone) determined, firm, stalwart, and steady. Hopefully, you and your siblings have a sturdy relationship, so you can withstand all the bickering over who gets to ride shotgun in the car.
Vocabulary lists containing sturdy
The Cay
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Beowulf vocabulary
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Vigorous Vocab: Synonyms for "Strong"
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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:
Green Bay’s defense remains strong, and the Packers are sturdy even without Josh Jacobs in the backfield.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 9, 2026
Visa and Mastercard shares notched their first record closes in more than a year, helping to paint a picture of sturdy consumer spending despite an array of pressures on American shoppers.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 24, 2026
"I can't do nothing," said the man who, despite his sturdy build, had trouble speaking.
From Barron's ● Aug. 21, 2026
Miso, honey and red-pepper flakes deepen the mixture; pasta water turns it glossy enough to tuck itself into the tubes and folds of a sturdy short pasta.
From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026
Instead, they scurried around like little sugar ants, busy hormiguitas, gathering the materials to create a sturdy device in which to carry our wounded sister, because her leg hurt so much that she couldn’t walk.
From "Summer of the Mariposas" by Guadalupe García McCall
For the Hoodie Tote, Krakoff lined it with neoprene to make it sturdier.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 1, 2026
Other species have long legs and live among moss, while some are sturdier frogs adapted to life on the ground.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 30, 2026
Simple upgrades like replacing cheap doors with sturdier ones and switching out hinges can actually go a long way in enhancing a home’s appeal to future buyers.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 1, 2026
The economy, in Bostic’s view, is sturdier than the mood suggests.
From Barron's ● Feb. 24, 2026
As far as Tad was concerned, they couldn’t get much sturdier than that.
From "Time Bomb" by Joelle Charbonneau
Identifying the sturdiest pairing is another decision that could prove pivotal as England and Tuchel aim for a strong start to their campaign.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
The Bottom Line: Airline stocks are infamously volatile; if you’re going to take a flier, go for the sturdiest.
From Barron's ● Apr. 12, 2026
The sturdiest defense in the league has allowed just 22 goals in 29 games, the club’s attack has outscored 18 other teams this season.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 1, 2026
The afternoon’s big winner was “Train Dreams,” the little movie that could, one that emerged 13 months ago at Sundance 2025 and is now proving itself to be one of Netflix’s sturdiest Oscar contenders.
From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 16, 2026
The Office/Camp Shop was the sturdiest of the structures we had passed so far, built in a more permanent style than the smaller log cabins with their dark green doors.
From "The Darkest Minds" by Alexandra Bracken
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
