1
as in plump
having an excess of body fat
a portly gentleman who loved to cook for his family and friends
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imposing
having or showing a formal and serious or reserved manner
walked with the portly grace of the grande dame that she was
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portly
One day, Lem held forth about H. G. Wells and Jules Verne to a portly man who turned out to run a publishing house.
—
Caleb Crain, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2022
Boyega had suggested a portly version of the young Sidney Poitier crossed with the facile charisma of the young Denzel Washington.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Aug. 2021
He was locked away to serve several life sentences, aging into a portly man with a thick white beard.
—New York Times, 13 June 2021
One of my favorite shots is of a portly man in a business suit, rubbing his hands together over and over, in an age-old gesture of distress.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2020
See All Example Sentences for portly
Caleb Crain, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2022
Boyega had suggested a portly version of the young Sidney Poitier crossed with the facile charisma of the young Denzel Washington.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Aug. 2021
He was locked away to serve several life sentences, aging into a portly man with a thick white beard.
—New York Times, 13 June 2021
One of my favorite shots is of a portly man in a business suit, rubbing his hands together over and over, in an age-old gesture of distress.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2020
See All Example Sentences for portly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portly
Adjective
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Some species provided not just materials but sustenance: edible cambium (a layer between the bark and the wood), plump and sweet in the spring—considered a famine food by some groups and a delicacy by others.—
Amelia Soth,
JSTOR Daily,
27 Feb. 2025
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The formula is chock-full of humectants, which draw moisture into the skin to leave it feeling hydrated and plump.—
Zoë Weiner,
Glamour,
25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The far more imposing limit is MLS’s global standing.—
Jeff Rueter,
The Athletic,
8 Feb. 2025
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And on the other hand, in a world where most of their top arms remain healthy and effective, the Dodgers could possess one of the most imposing starting pitching staffs in recent memory.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The researchers found that in addition to reducing liver fat content, HTD1801 significantly improved blood glucose control.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
3 Mar. 2025
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Baseball, which is dying all over the place, should get off its fat, lazy a--, and elect Pete Rose, even though far too late, into the Baseball Hall of Fame!—
Ryan Morik,
Fox News,
1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Curio’s approach to waste fuel recycling was supported by Per Peterson, distinguished professor in the Department of Nuclear Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley, who shared his thoughts with me in both emails and an interview.—
Jim Vinoski,
Forbes,
28 Feb. 2025
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Behold then the inspiration extravaganza that is the Kips Bay Decorator Show House Palm Beach, where over 30 rooms have been transformed through March 16 into set pieces by 23 distinguished designers and architects.—
Greg Carannante,
Sun Sentinel,
28 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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However, the round imprints of tl\e big cougar we’re melted and indistinct.—
Frank C. Hibben,
Outdoor Life,
27 Feb. 2025
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How much better? After being eliminated in the first round of the two-round, timed shooting competition during the league’s 2023 All-Star Weekend in Salt Lake City, Herro won Saturday night’s Three-Point Contest at Chase Center in San Francisco.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
16 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portly. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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