muscle

1 of 2

noun

mus·​cle ˈmə-səl How to pronounce muscle (audio)
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
2
a
: muscular strength : brawn
b
: effective strength : power
political muscle

muscle

2 of 2

verb

muscled; muscling ˈmə-s(ə-)liŋ How to pronounce muscle (audio)

transitive verb

: to move or force by or as if by muscular effort
muscled him out of office

intransitive verb

: to make one's way by brute strength or by force

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
Noun
They’re composed of electronic circuits with batteries and leads anchored to the heart muscle to stimulate it. Pengju Li, Discover Magazine, 23 Mar. 2024 First, Jewett took Cupid to the county animal services center for an X-ray, then volunteers drove the bird to San Joaquin Veterinary Hospital for surgery to remove the arrow — which had damaged the underside of his skin and the surface of the breast muscles. Sydney Page, Washington Post, 21 Mar. 2024 These tiny electrical currents (which are too weak to be painful) stimulate the muscles of the face, which may encourage toning and tightening. Isabella Ubaldi, Health, 20 Mar. 2024 As the name suggests, a deep-plane facelift goes deeper than other procedures to release specific ligaments along the platysma muscle that extends from the shoulder to the cheeks. Adam Hurly, Robb Report, 19 Mar. 2024 It can be performed in repetitive sets and tones the core muscles with a twisting motion focused around the abdomen. Dominique Fluker, Essence, 18 Mar. 2024 But other muscles form the center of communication — the ability to show happiness, sadness, fear, anger, surprise and disgust. USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2024 Nothing is inserted into the heart’s chambers, and nothing is stuck into the external heart muscle. IEEE Spectrum, 16 Mar. 2024 Symptoms of parrot fever include fever and chills, headache, muscle aches and a dry cough, according to the CDC. Erin Clack, Peoplemag, 10 Mar. 2024
Verb
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 After muscling aside Volkswagen AG as China’s bestselling carmaker, BYD is expanding in Europe to create fresh revenue streams and escape a bruising price war in its home market. Stefan Nicola, Fortune, 26 Feb. 2024 Each side of the schism accused the other of trying to muscle their way into power. Jolene Almendarez, The Enquirer, 27 Feb. 2024 Midway through the quarter Marina’s Barak Simon muscled his way to the basket for a driving layup to tie it 51-51. Steve Fryer, Orange County Register, 14 Feb. 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.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Latin musculus, from diminutive of mus mouse — more at mouse entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

circa 1819, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of muscle was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near muscle

Cite this Entry

“Muscle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/muscle. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

muscle

1 of 2 noun
mus·​cle ˈməs-əl How to pronounce muscle (audio)
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 How to pronounce muscle (audio)
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 How to pronounce muscle (audio)
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

More from Merriam-Webster on muscle

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