burly

Built like bouncers

Burly describes a person who is large and strongly built, with an emphasis on muscular bulk rather than fat: a burly construction worker, burly security guards.

The word suggests physical power and a certain roughness—you might call a lumberjack or bouncer burly, but not a ballet dancer or accountant.

physique

brawny

Physically powerful, well-muscled

broad-shouldered · barrel-chested · thickset · strapping · hulking · powerful · stout · beefy · solid · massive

jovial

hearty

Warm and substantial

affable · genial · jovial · convivial · robust · lusty · hale · rollicking · cheery · good-natured

intimidating

menacing

Conveying threat or danger

threatening · daunting · domineering · aggressive · tough · stern · brutish · thuggish · bouncer · enforcer

rugged

lumberjack

Professional tree cutter

weathered · roughhewn · frontiersman · mountaineer · backwoodsman · leathery · bearded · flannel · logger · trapper

Categories
Opposites
physical build and musculature

burlyscrawny

Unattractively thin and bony

slight · puny · thin · skinny · slender

perceived strength and physical presence

burlyfrail

Weak and breakable

weak · wimpy · fragile · delicate · feeble

Phrases
Family

burlap, burl, burliness, burlier, burls, burliest

Familiarity
Top 100,000
Profile
Known to kids · Used worldwide · Timeless · Concrete · Everyday, not technical · Rated G