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Synonyms

sturdy

1 American  
[stur-dee] / ˈstɜr di /

adjective

sturdier, sturdiest

  1. strongly built; stalwart; robust.

    sturdy young athletes.
    Synonyms:
    powerful, strong, stout, sinewy, brawny, muscular, hardy
    Antonyms:
    weak

  2. strong, as in substance, construction, or texture.

    sturdy walls.

  3. firm; courageous; indomitable.

    the sturdy defenders of the Alamo.
    Synonyms:
    unconquerable, determined, vigorous, resolute

  4. of strong or hardy growth, as a plant.

sturdy 2 American  
[stur-dee] / ˈstɜr di /

noun

Veterinary Pathology.

  1. gid.

sturdy 1 British  
/ ˈstɜːdɪ /

adjective

  1. healthy, strong, and vigorous

  2. strongly built; stalwart

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
sturdy 2 British  
/ ˈstɜːdɪ /

noun

  1. vet science another name for staggers gid

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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.

Others look sturdier: Nearly two-thirds of revenue at Pool Corp is for maintenance of existing pools and its distribution ability is unparalleled.

From The Wall Street Journal

“It’s way more sturdy than paper. Even more when you wrap it up with duct tape, the greatest invention ever.”

From Literature

He tried to choke up on the branch, to move closer to the safety of the sturdy trunk, but he was no match for the power of Pain.

From Literature

In the unlikely event the deal is delayed, Janus would pay its shareholders a $1 dividend each quarter, keeping the return profile sturdy.

From Barron's

On one hand, “Saturday Night Live U.K.” has a sturdy template in a TV institution that shaped American comedy and survived 51 seasons.

From The Wall Street Journal

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.