sinewy

[ sin-yoo-ee ]

adjective

1. having strong sinews; muscular; brawny:

   a sinewy back.

2. of or like sinews; tough, firm, braided, or resilient:

   a sinewy rope.

3. having conspicuous sinews; stringy:

   tough, sinewy meat.

4. vigorous or forceful, as language, style, etc.:

   a sinewy argument.

sinewy

/ ˈsɪnjʊɪ /

adjective

1. consisting of or resembling a tendon or tendons
2. muscular; brawny
3. (esp of language, style, etc) vigorous; forceful
4. (of meat, etc) tough; stringy

Derived Forms

• ˈsinewiness, noun

Other Words From

• sinew·i·ness noun
• un·sinew·y adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sinewy¹

Middle English word dating back to 1350–1400; sinew, -y ¹

Example Sentences

It was the juxtaposition of Mara’s potent, sinewy turn in “The Girl with Dragon Tattoo” and the nuanced fragility she exuded in “Carol” that confirmed his admiration for her performances.

From Los Angeles Times

As tourists stumble by with tall cans of Bud Light Lime and cigarettes in hand, Sell’s tattooed, sinewy limbs stretch a matching Lacoste tee and shorts, with the requisite crocodile emblems and matching bright-red shoes.

From Los Angeles Times

At 60, the sinewy Harbaugh is as fit as any head coach in the game, and his heart issues — diagnosed as atrial flutter — are not indisputably attributable to the stress of the game.

From Los Angeles Times

For competitive runners, this often boils down to sinewy legs and defined abdominals.

From Salon

A great bowl of pho requires 14 hours of charring and simmering with loads of bone marrow, and a superior soup uses toppings of high-quality cuts of beef that aren’t sinewy or gristly, he added.

From Seattle Times

Related Words

• brawny
• leathery
• muscular
• sturdy