Dictionary

muscular en · ADJ

Pronunciation

• /ˈmʌs.kjə.lɚ/ (Canada, General-American)
• (Southern-England) audio
• /ˈmʌs.kjʊl.ə/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

Late 17th century; from muscle (Latin mūsculus) + -ar. Compare French musculaire.

Meanings

1. (relational) Of, relating to, or connected with muscles.
   • It was an effort of the mind, of the will, of the nerves; not muscular, for I could not move even so much as my little finger, but none the less mighty for all that. 1912 February–July, Edgar Rice Burroughs, “Under the Moons of Mars”, in The All-Story, New York, N.Y.: Frank A. Munsey Co., →OCLC; republished as “The Escape of the Dead”, in A Princess of Mars, Chicago, Ill.: A[lexander] C[aldwell] McClurg & Co., October 1917, →OCLC, page 18:
2. Brawny, thewy, having strength.
   • It was a strange figure—like a child: yet not so like a child as like an old man, [...] The arms were very long and muscular; the hands the same, as if its hold were of uncommon strength. 1843 December 19, Charles Dickens, “Stave Two. The First of the Three Spirits.”, in A Christmas Carol. […], London: Chapman & Hall, […], →OCLC, page 43:
3. Having large, well-developed muscles.
4. (figuratively) Robust, strong.
   • Playing out now, with Florida leading, is one of the most muscular policing movements in modern times. 2025 May 13, Patrik Jonsson, “Beat cops to game wardens, Florida expands ‘army’ of immigration enforcers”, in The Christian Science Monitor:
   • The conservative movement faces real internal contradictions. On the one hand, there is deep skepticism of Washington-based power — think of the tea party and its “Don’t tread on me” bumper stickers. On the other, there is an eager embrace of a muscular view of the presidency for Trump, and before him, George W. Bush and Dick Cheney. 2025 February 26, Aziz Huq, “Conservatives on the Supreme Court May Not Fully Align With Trump”, in Politico:
   • Future prime ministers may struggle to replicate the sort of muscular countrywide support that [Narendra] Modi was able to earn. 2014 July 9, Samanth Subramanian, “India after English?”, in The New York Review of Books, archived from the original on 10 Sep 2019:
5. Full-bodied
   • muscular wine

Forms

Deriveds

neuromuscular · muscular stomach · faciomuscular · supramuscular · muscular Judaism · nervomuscular · faradomuscular · unimuscular · tendomuscular · paramuscular · muscular palate · muscularly · tendinomuscular · skeletomuscular · hypermuscular · hepatocardiomuscular · transmuscular · epimuscular · ligamentomuscular · retromuscular · nonmuscular · cutaneomuscular · muscular Christianity · osteomuscular · fibromuscular · muscular dystrophy · premuscular · osseomuscular · psychoneuromuscular · muscular pile · extramuscular · promuscular · electromuscular · bimuscular · intramuscular · most muscular · dermomuscular · seromuscular · muscular endurance · muscularness · intermuscular · epitheliomuscular · trimuscular · cardiomuscular · submuscular · overmuscular · spinal muscular atrophy · muscular Christian · perimuscular · Becker muscular dystrophy · undermuscular · muscularity · corticomuscular · idiomuscular · muscularize · spinal muscular atrophies · unmuscular · elastomuscular

Relateds

musculature · musculo- · myo-

Synonyms

brawny · powerfully built · strong · well-built · powerful · vigorous · muscled · beefy · buff · beefy · athletic · strapping · swole · muscled · husky · muscly · brawny · musclebound · husky · lusty · sinewy · muscly

Translations (141)

nl gespierd (having strength) · ru мы́шечный (of or relating to muscles) · hu izmos (having large, well-developed muscles) · ms berotot (having large, well-developed muscles) · sh mìšićav (having strength) · id muskuler (of or relating to muscles) · nn muskulær (of or relating to muscles) · mi tōtōpū ((figuratively) strong, robust) · sv muskel- (of or relating to muscles) · de Muskel- (of or relating to muscles) · sq muskulor (of or relating to muscles) · is massaður (having strength) · ja ムキムキ (having large, well-developed muscles) · sl mišičen (of or relating to muscles) · et lihase- (of or relating to muscles) · ga matánach (having strength) · es musculoso (having large, well-developed muscles) · sh мѝшићав (having strength) · ro musculos (having strength) · sa मांसल (having large, well-developed muscles) · sh му̏скуло̄зан (having strength) · pl muskularny (having strength) · fi lihaksikas (having large, well-developed muscles) · da muskuløs (having strength) · sh mìšīćnī (of or relating to muscles) · be цяглі́чны (of or relating to muscles) · ca muscular (of or relating to muscles) · mk мускулен (of or relating to muscles) · oc musclat (having strength) · gl musculoso (having strength) · ru мускули́стый (having strength) · mi pūioio (of or relating to muscles) · hu izmos (having strength) · mi whakapūioio ((figuratively) strong, robust) · mi ruarangi ((figuratively) strong, robust) · be му́скульны (of or relating to muscles) · pt muscular (of or relating to muscles) · bg мускули́ст (having large, well-developed muscles) · sq muskuloz (having strength) · ga urrúnta (having strength) · bg си́лен (having strength) · cy cyhyrog (having large, well-developed muscles) · nb muskulær (of or relating to muscles) · ru си́льный (having strength) · ca musculós (having large, well-developed muscles) · de muskulös (having strength) · gl muscular (of or relating to muscles) · pt musculoso (having large, well-developed muscles) · ro mușchiulos (having strength) · cs svalnatý (having large, well-developed muscles) · fr musculeux (having large, well-developed muscles) · is vöðva- (of or relating to muscles) · fur muscolâr (of or relating to muscles) · nl gespierd (having large, well-developed muscles) · mi pūioio (having strength) · sk svalnatý (having strength) · mi pakari ((figuratively) strong, robust) · es muscular (of or relating to muscles) · pl mięśniowy (of or relating to muscles) · bn পেশিবহুল (having large, well-developed muscles) · id muskular (of or relating to muscles) · pt musculoso (having strength) · la torōsus (having large, well-developed muscles) · ja ムキムキ (having strength) · it muscoloso (having strength) · cs svalový (of or relating to muscles) · is vöðvamikill (having strength) · pl krzepki ((figuratively) strong, robust) · uk м'я́зовий (of or relating to muscles) · cy cyhyrog (having strength) · is vöðvastæltur (having strength) · el μυώδης (having large, well-developed muscles) · it muscoloso (having large, well-developed muscles) · uk му́скульний (of or relating to muscles) · uk м'язи́стий (having large, well-developed muscles) · sk svalnatý (having large, well-developed muscles) · tr kaslı (having large, well-developed muscles) · mk мускулест (having large, well-developed muscles) · pl umięśniony (having large, well-developed muscles) · sv muskulär (of or relating to muscles) · sh мѝшӣћнӣ (of or relating to muscles) · sk svalový (of or relating to muscles) · et lihaseline (having large, well-developed muscles) · da muskulær (of or relating to muscles) · ca musculós (having strength) · ga muscalach (of or relating to muscles) · ro mușchiular (of or relating to muscles) · fr musculeux (having strength) · nb muskuløs (having large, well-developed muscles) · ga matánach (having large, well-developed muscles) · uk мускули́стий (having large, well-developed muscles) · fi lihas- (of or relating to muscles) · nn muskuløs (having large, well-developed muscles) · uk м'язови́й (of or relating to muscles) · ro muscular (of or relating to muscles) · sl mišičast (having large, well-developed muscles) · sv muskulös (having strength) · cy cyhyrog (of or relating to muscles) · et lihaseline (of or relating to muscles) · bn পেশীবহুল (having large, well-developed muscles) · sv biffig (having strength) · pl silny ((figuratively) strong, robust) · sk muskulárny (of or relating to muscles) · mi tuakaka (having large, well-developed muscles) · oc muscular (of or relating to muscles) · pl muskularny (having large, well-developed muscles) · mk мускулест (having strength) · cy cyhyrog ((figuratively) strong, robust) · cmn 肌肉的 (of or relating to muscles) · pl umięśniony (having strength) · sh mȕskulōzan (having strength) · sv muskulös (having large, well-developed muscles) · mi pakari (having large, well-developed muscles) · ga matánach (of or relating to muscles) · fr musclé (having strength) · ar عَضَلِيّ (of or relating to muscles) · sh mȕskulōzan (having large, well-developed muscles) · it muscolare (of or relating to muscles) · sa मांसल (having strength) · hu izmos (of or relating to muscles) · cs muskulární (of or relating to muscles) · sh му̏скуло̄зан (having large, well-developed muscles) · mi mārōrō (having strength) · mi kōpaka (having large, well-developed muscles) · be мы́шачны (of or relating to muscles) · be мускулі́сты (having large, well-developed muscles) · fi lihaksikas (having strength) · de muskulär (of or relating to muscles) · el μυϊκός (of or relating to muscles) · cs svalnatý (having strength) · ru мускули́стый (having large, well-developed muscles) · ga matánach ((figuratively) strong, robust) · nl musculair (of or relating to muscles) · da muskuløs (having large, well-developed muscles) · fr musculaire (of or relating to muscles) · es musculoso (having strength) · nl spier- (of or relating to muscles) · sa संहननवात् (having large, well-developed muscles) · uk мускуля́стий (having large, well-developed muscles) · bg му́скулен (of or relating to muscles) · ru му́скульный (of or relating to muscles)