often attributive
1
a
: a body tissue consisting of long cells that contract when stimulated and produce motion
b
: an organ that is essentially a mass of muscle tissue attached at either end to a fixed point and that by contracting moves or checks the movement of a body part
muscled; muscling
ˈmə-s(ə-)liŋ 
: to move or force by or as if by muscular effort
muscled him out of office
: to make one's way by brute strength or by force
Synonyms
Examples of muscle in a Sentence
Noun
the muscles of the arm
an athlete with bulging muscles
He pulled a muscle playing tennis.
She has a strained muscle in her back.
She started lifting weights to build muscle.
She doesn't have the muscle to lift something so heavy.
Verb
They muscled the heavy boxes onto the truck.
They muscled the furniture up the stairs.
He muscled through the crowd.
They muscled into line behind us.
Recent Examples on the Web
Maysoon Khan, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
More specifically, upper-body pull moves often work the lats (your broadest back muscle), traps (upper back and neck muscles), rear delts (a shoulder muscle), and rhomboids (upper back muscles), Williams says.
—Christa Sgobba, SELF, 25 Apr. 2024
Since muscle weighs more than fat, aim to build lean muscle and lower visceral fat, even if your BMI doesn’t reflect a huge change.
—Rachel Murphy, Verywell Health, 25 Apr. 2024
The toxin prevents muscles from moving and is used to temporarily smooth facial wrinkles.
—Kristen Fischer, Health, 24 Apr. 2024
And the fitness guru who helped strengthen those core muscles, as well as prepare the star for 152 shows in 54 cities worldwide, hails from Kansas City.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2024
That sets the stage for a watershed legal battle between the U.S. government and the offspring of a $240 billion startup that’s come to define China’s growing technological muscle.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
Toys that encourage movement are great for building a baby’s muscles and strength.
—Christine Luff, Parents, 22 Apr. 2024
One study found people over the age of 65 who take metformin may have a harder time building new muscle.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 22 Apr. 2024
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2024
In the movie, Kirsten Dunst plays a dogged photojournalist muscling her way through a smoldering Washington D.C., trying to document the bitter conflict between two heavily armed factions tearing America apart.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
Other governors that progressives would kick the tires on include Illinois' J.B. Pritzker, who has the money and strong surrogates who could muscle a convention run.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2024
The North Carolina Tar Heels weathered a few Michigan State punches early then went on a run of their own before muscling their way out of Charlotte and into the Sweet 16 — a show of toughness and great shooting and a potential that might make national punditry rear its collective head.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 24 Mar. 2024
The doctors at his autopsy marveled that below his head, his body was superbly muscled.
—Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024
The Zone of Interest In another year, Netflix might have muscled Spain’s Society of the Snow to a win.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024
Did the warm sea surface temperatures muscle out El Niño?
—USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
Instead, sometime after midnight, military vehicles arrived, and a cluster of soldiers muscled their way in, fanned out, and pointed machine guns at the students.
—Alma Guillermoprieto, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
Noun
New York’s law allows the state to fine businesses who sell kids diet pills or supplements that promote themselves as helping build muscle or burn fat.
—Maysoon Khan, Fortune, 26 Apr. 2024
More specifically, upper-body pull moves often work the lats (your broadest back muscle), traps (upper back and neck muscles), rear delts (a shoulder muscle), and rhomboids (upper back muscles), Williams says.
—Christa Sgobba, SELF, 25 Apr. 2024
Since muscle weighs more than fat, aim to build lean muscle and lower visceral fat, even if your BMI doesn’t reflect a huge change.
—Rachel Murphy, Verywell Health, 25 Apr. 2024
The toxin prevents muscles from moving and is used to temporarily smooth facial wrinkles.
—Kristen Fischer, Health, 24 Apr. 2024
And the fitness guru who helped strengthen those core muscles, as well as prepare the star for 152 shows in 54 cities worldwide, hails from Kansas City.
—Lisa Gutierrez, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2024
That sets the stage for a watershed legal battle between the U.S. government and the offspring of a $240 billion startup that’s come to define China’s growing technological muscle.
—Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 23 Apr. 2024
Toys that encourage movement are great for building a baby’s muscles and strength.
—Christine Luff, Parents, 22 Apr. 2024
One study found people over the age of 65 who take metformin may have a harder time building new muscle.
—Allison Aubrey, NPR, 22 Apr. 2024
Verb
She’s got a big, beautiful singing voice, a fast-whirring Boston accent and the chutzpah needed to muscle her way through any obstacle.
—Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Apr. 2024
In the movie, Kirsten Dunst plays a dogged photojournalist muscling her way through a smoldering Washington D.C., trying to document the bitter conflict between two heavily armed factions tearing America apart.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 3 Apr. 2024
Other governors that progressives would kick the tires on include Illinois' J.B. Pritzker, who has the money and strong surrogates who could muscle a convention run.
—Phillip M. Bailey, USA TODAY, 14 Feb. 2024
The North Carolina Tar Heels weathered a few Michigan State punches early then went on a run of their own before muscling their way out of Charlotte and into the Sweet 16 — a show of toughness and great shooting and a potential that might make national punditry rear its collective head.
—Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 24 Mar. 2024
The doctors at his autopsy marveled that below his head, his body was superbly muscled.
—Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 21 Mar. 2024
The Zone of Interest In another year, Netflix might have muscled Spain’s Society of the Snow to a win.
—David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 6 Mar. 2024
Did the warm sea surface temperatures muscle out El Niño?
—USA TODAY, 4 Mar. 2024
Instead, sometime after midnight, military vehicles arrived, and a cluster of soldiers muscled their way in, fanned out, and pointed machine guns at the students.
—Alma Guillermoprieto, The New Yorker, 4 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'muscle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Video
When Body Parts Are Also Verbs
Head, shoulders, metaphors, and toes
Dictionary Entries Near muscle
Cite this Entry
“Muscle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/muscle. Accessed 2 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
muscle
1 of 2 noun
mus·cle
ˈməs-əl
1
a
: a body tissue consisting of long cells that can contract and produce motion
b
: an organ that is a mass of muscle tissue attached at either end to a fixed point (as to bones) and that by contracting moves or stops the movement of a body part
2
a
: muscular strength : brawn
b
: power entry 1 sense 2
lacks the muscle to make good on campaign promises
muscle
2 of 2 verb
muscled; muscling
ˈməs-(ə-)liŋ
1
: to force from a position
was muscled out of office by political opponents
2
: to force one's way
muscled through the crowd
Etymology
Noun
from Latin musculus "muscle, little mouse," from mus "mouse"
Word Origin
People today are perhaps unlikely to think of their muscles as resembling mice. The ancient Romans, however, saw a likeness, especially in the major muscles of the arms and legs. For that reason the Latin word musculus, which originally meant "little mouse," came to be used to mean "muscle."
Medical Definition
muscle
noun
mus·cle
ˈməs-əl
often attributive
1
: a body tissue consisting of long cells that contract when stimulated and produce motion see cardiac muscle, smooth muscle, striated muscle
2
: an organ that is essentially a mass of muscle tissue attached at either end to a fixed point and that by contracting moves or checks the movement of a body part see agonist sense 1, antagonist sense a, synergist sense 2
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