muscular
3 synonyms and 0 antonyms for muscular, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Adj — Having well-developed, visible muscles.
Synonyms
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use muscular
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
Etymology
From muscle plus the adjective suffix -ar, matching the French musculaire.
Full origin of muscular →Frequently asked questions
What does “muscular” mean?
The word “muscular” means having well-developed, visible muscles. In plain terms, physically strong-looking (or, figuratively, forceful and assertive).
How do you pronounce “muscular”?
“Muscular” is pronounced MUHS-kyuul-uh (/ˈmʌs.kjə.lɚ/ in IPA).
How do you use “muscular” in a sentence?
Here is “muscular” used in a sentence: “Years of training gave him a muscular build.”
What part of speech is “muscular”?
“Muscular” is an adjective.
Where does the word “muscular” come from?
The word “muscular” comes from French. From muscle plus the adjective suffix -ar, matching the French musculaire.
Is “muscular” a common word?
“Muscular” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “muscular” have?
“Muscular” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: having well-developed, visible muscles.
What is the difference between muscular and strong?
Muscular specifically describes having well-developed, visible muscles, referring to physical appearance and build, while strong describes the capacity to exert force and can apply even to someone without a visibly muscular physique. A person can be strong without looking muscular, and vice versa, though the two traits often go together.
What does it mean to call an approach or style "muscular"?
Used figuratively, muscular describes an approach or style that is forceful, strong, or assertive, such as "a muscular foreign policy" or "muscular prose." This sense extends the physical idea of visible strength to describe forcefulness in action or expression.
Is muscular only used to describe people's bodies?
No, muscular is also used in a medical sense relating to muscles generally, as in "muscular tissue" or "muscular disorders," and figuratively to describe forceful styles or approaches, as in "a muscular argument." It is not limited to describing physical build.