sturdy
1 Americanadjective
-
strongly built; stalwart; robust.
sturdy young athletes.
- Antonyms:
- weak
-
strong, as in substance, construction, or texture.
sturdy walls.
-
firm; courageous; indomitable.
the sturdy defenders of the Alamo.
- Synonyms:
- unconquerable, determined, vigorous, resolute
-
of strong or hardy growth, as a plant.
noun
adjective
-
healthy, strong, and vigorous
-
strongly built; stalwart
noun
Other Word Forms
- sturdied adjective
- sturdily adverb
- sturdiness noun
- unsturdily adverb
- unsturdiness noun
Etymology
Origin of sturdy1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English stourdi, from Old French estourdi “dazed, reckless, stunned, violent,” past participle of estourdir “to daze, stun,” of disputed origin; perhaps ultimately from Latin ex- ex- 1 ( def. ) + a verb derivative of torpidus “numb,” turbus “disturbed,” or turdus “thrush”
Origin of sturdy2
First recorded in 1560–70; noun use of sturdy 1 in obsolete sense “giddy”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Customers had to pay a deposit for the sturdy glass bottles.
From BBC
Duane grunted and moaned, and just when he thought he was making some progress in digging his cave, he came up against a sturdy wall of snow buried within the snow.
From Literature
The economy, in Bostic’s view, is sturdier than the mood suggests.
From Barron's
It is a somewhat dubious honor, but the new incumbent sits on a much sturdier throne than the previous one.
From Barron's
Moorish horse breeds were crossed with native stock to create a sturdy and agile beast for managing cattle.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
