sturdy

adjective

ˈstər-dē How to pronounce sturdy (audio)
Definition of sturdynext
1
as in hardy
able to withstand hardship, strain, or exposure it took a sturdy person to endure the life of a pioneer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in strong
marked by the ability to withstand stress without structural damage or distortion wear sturdy boots because we will be going over sharp rocks and uneven terrain

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in solid
not showing weakness or uncertainty you'll need a sturdy grasp of the concepts of algebra before you can take calculus

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word sturdy different from other adjectives like it?

Some common synonyms of sturdy are stalwart, stout, strong, tenacious, and tough. While all these words mean "showing power to resist or to endure," sturdy implies strength derived from vigorous growth, determination of spirit, solidity of construction.

a sturdy table
people of sturdy independence

When might stalwart be a better fit than sturdy?

While in some cases nearly identical to sturdy, stalwart suggests an unshakable dependability.

stalwart environmentalists

When could stout be used to replace sturdy?

The meanings of stout and sturdy largely overlap; however, stout suggests an ability to endure stress, pain, or hard use without giving way.

stout hiking boots

When is strong a more appropriate choice than sturdy?

The words strong and sturdy are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, strong may imply power derived from muscular vigor, large size, structural soundness, intellectual or spiritual resources.

strong arms
the defense has a strong case

When is it sensible to use tenacious instead of sturdy?

Although the words tenacious and sturdy have much in common, tenacious suggests strength in seizing, retaining, clinging to, or holding together.

tenacious farmers clinging to an age-old way of life

In what contexts can tough take the place of sturdy?

The words tough and sturdy can be used in similar contexts, but tough implies great firmness and resiliency.

a tough political opponent

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of sturdy Some of West Chelsea’s massive industrial buildings were sturdy and spacious enough to morph into tech offices, art galleries, newsrooms, and photo studios. —Justin Davidson, Curbed, 21 May 2025 Move to a storm shelter or an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building. —Anna Skinner, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 May 2025 Get to an interior room on the lowest floor of a sturdy building and avoid windows. —Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 May 2025 Up the hill stands a barn, sturdy and welcoming, and nearby, playful goats are happily entertaining themselves. —Hanna Rosin, The Atlantic, 19 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for sturdy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sturdy
  1. hardy
  2. strong
  3. solid
  4. rugged
  5. durable
  6. firm
  7. stout
  8. stable
Adjective
  • Plants have larger foliage and bigger blooms than their tropical counterparts and are winter hardy.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 25 May 2025
  • Above the tidal zone begins a maquis of mastic, myrtle, helichrysum, arbutus, and other fragrant, hardy plants, which in the higher, more remote parts of the island give way to groves of ilex, eucalyptus, and stone pine.
    — Lee Marshall, Travel + Leisure, 15 Apr. 2025
Definition of hardy
Adjective
  • This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning.
    — National Geographic, National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023
  • According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths.
    — Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2023
Definition of strong
Adjective
  • While the bullpen has been a bit of a mess, the starting rotation has been solid.
    — Will Graves, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025
  • Per Deadline Hollywood, which first reported the cancellation, viewership for season 3 was still solid but the show slipped out of Nielsen's Top 10 Originals chart quicker than its predecessors, and the decision to cancel ultimately came down to the show's hefty price tag.
    — EW.com, EW.com, 23 May 2025
Definition of solid
Adjective
  • After a rugged childhood without electricity or indoor plumbing, Robertson earned a football scholarship to Louisiana Tech University.
    — Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 26 May 2025
  • Groups were scaling the 30-foot steel border fence with rope ladders, or crawling through gaps sawed into the old steel mesh fencing, hundreds of people a day in a 20-mile stretch starting at the rugged mountainside of Mt. Cristo Rey.
    — Lauren Villagran, USA Today, 26 May 2025
Definition of rugged
Adjective
  • Try this trend out for yourself by snagging a pair of these Pumas with an extra-cushioned heel and durable outsole.
    — Izzy Baskette, People.com, 21 May 2025
  • Red Hat Enterprise Linux 10 has been designed to help enterprise IT departments handle the challenges of hybrid environments and the imperative to integrate AI workloads with a durable operating system.
    — Adrian Bridgwater, Forbes.com, 21 May 2025
Definition of durable
Adjective
  • Roll the balls, and flash freeze on baking sheets until firm, then transfer to freezer-safe zip-top bags and freeze for up to three months.
    — Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 22 May 2025
  • The qualifiers might only apply to the ACC and Big 12, but nothing is firm right now, especially the matter of when to stage any additional Playoff games.
    — Ralph D. Russo, New York Times, 21 May 2025
Definition of firm
Adjective
  • After his ice-cold start that was due, in large part, to Jaden McDaniels’ stout defense, Gilgeous-Alexander was spectacular in the second half (20 points, five assists, four rebounds, eight-of-14 shooting and a plus-25 rating as the Thunder dominated 70-40).
    — Sam Amick, New York Times, 21 May 2025
  • Normally, heavy tackle is preferred, including a stout casting rod and 15 to 18-pound-test line, so heavy fish can be kept from diving into weeds or under logs.
    — Don Shiner, Outdoor Life, 14 May 2025
Definition of stout
Adjective
  • The threat of severe weather is conditional on the position of a warm front in the area and whether temperatures are too cool and stable for storms to develop.
    — Robert A. Cronkleton, Kansas City Star, 23 May 2025
  • The component loadout is good for the price, with 16GB of RAM making multi-tasking smooth and stable.
    — K. Thor Jensen, PC Magazine, 23 May 2025
Definition of stable

Browse Nearby Words

sturdiness
sturdy
Sturm und Drang
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Sturdy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sturdy. Accessed 4 Jun. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on sturdy

Nglish: Translation of sturdy for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

'Bring' vs. 'Take'

Is it 'used to' or 'use to'?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language

10 Hella Good U.S. Regionalisms

The Clinical History of 'Moron,' 'Idiot,' and 'Imbecile'

And So It Begins: 9 Words for Beginnings
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Flower Etymologies For Your Spring Garden

How 'Namaste' Entered The English Language
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All