robust
roh-BUHST
Robust (adj) means Strong and healthy, or built to handle stress and hard use without breaking down. Example: “These robust boots have lasted me through years of muddy walks.”
adj
1
Strong and healthy, or built to handle stress and hard use without breaking down.
"These robust boots have lasted me through years of muddy walks."
"The bridge was designed with a robust steel frame to survive earthquakes."
"Despite his age, he remained remarkably robust."
2
Able to keep working properly even when conditions change or something goes wrong.
"A robust network keeps running even if one of the cables fails."
"The app is robust enough to cope with a slow connection."
"The software needs a more robust error-handling system before launch."
How to use robust
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishStrong, sturdy, and able to withstand pressure, damage, or failure.
Common pairings
robust economy
robust health
robust system
a robust debate
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more robust, robuster
- Superlative
- most robust, robustest
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These _____ boots have lasted me through years of muddy walks.
Etymology
From Latin robustus, "made of oak" or "strong," from robur, meaning oak wood.
Related words
Frequently asked questions
What does “robust” mean?
The word “robust” means strong and healthy, or built to handle stress and hard use without breaking down. In plain terms, strong, sturdy, and able to withstand pressure, damage, or failure.
How do you pronounce “robust”?
“Robust” is pronounced roh-BUHST (/ɹoʊˈbʌst/ in IPA).
How do you use “robust” in a sentence?
Here is “robust” used in a sentence: “The bridge was designed with a robust steel frame to survive earthquakes.”
What part of speech is “robust”?
“Robust” is an adjective.
Where does the word “robust” come from?
The word “robust” comes from Latin. From Latin robustus, "made of oak" or "strong," from robur, meaning oak wood.
Is “robust” a common word?
“Robust” is a fairly common word in modern English, usually learned at around the C1 level.
How many meanings does “robust” have?
“Robust” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: strong and healthy, or built to handle stress and hard use without breaking down.
What is the difference between robust and strong?
Strong describes great physical power or force, while robust adds the idea of being able to withstand stress, strain, or hard use without breaking down. A person can be strong, but calling them robust also implies sturdiness and good health.
What is the difference between robust and sturdy?
Sturdy usually describes something solidly and firmly built, such as furniture or a structure. Robust carries that meaning too but extends more naturally to abstract things like a robust economy, a robust argument, or a robust computer system.
What is the difference between robust and resilient?
A robust system resists problems and keeps working properly even when conditions are difficult. A resilient system may bend or fail briefly but recovers quickly afterwards, so robustness is about resisting disruption while resilience is about bouncing back.
What nouns commonly go with robust?
Robust frequently pairs with words like health, economy, growth, system, defence, and debate. It is a positive, fairly formal adjective often used to praise something as strong, healthy, or well able to cope.
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