strong

1 of 2

adjective

ˈstrȯŋ 

stronger ˈstrȯŋ-gər 

 also  -ər

; strongest ˈstrȯŋ-gəst 

 also  -əst

1

: having or marked by great physical power

2

: having moral or intellectual power

3

: having great resources (as of wealth or talent)

4

: of a specified number

an army ten thousand strong

5

a

: striking or superior of its kind

a strong resemblance

b

: effective or efficient especially in a specified direction

… strong on watching other people work …

—A. Alvarez

6

: forceful, cogent

strong evidence

strong talk

7

: not mild or weak : extreme, intense: such as

a

: rich in some active agent

strong beer

b

of a color : high in chroma

c

: ionizing freely in solution

strong acids and bases

d

: magnifying by refracting greatly

a strong lens

8

obsolete : flagrant

9

: moving with rapidity or force

a strong wind

10

: ardent, zealous

a strong supporter

11

a

: not easily injured or disturbed : solid

b

: not easily subdued or taken

a strong fort

12

: well established : firm

strong beliefs

13

: not easily upset or nauseated

a strong stomach

14

: having an offensive or intense odor or flavor : rank

strong breath

15

: tending toward steady or higher prices

a strong market

16

a

: of, relating to, or being a verb that is inflected by a change in the root vowel (such as strive, strove, striven) rather than by regular affixation

b

of a noun or adjective declension in Germanic languages : retaining a greater number of distinctions in case, number and gender

strongish

ˈstrȯŋ-ish 

adjective

strong

2 of 2

adverb

: in a strong or forceful manner

The wind was blowing strong from the West.

The company is still going strong [=continuing successfully, flourishing] despite new challenges.

Synonyms

Adjective

• brawny
• muscular
• rugged
• sinewy
• stalwart
• stout

Choose the Right Synonym for strong

strong, stout, sturdy, stalwart, tough, tenacious mean showing power to resist or to endure.

strong may imply power derived from muscular vigor, large size, structural soundness, intellectual or spiritual resources.

strong arms

the defense has a strong case

stout suggests an ability to endure stress, pain, or hard use without giving way.

stout hiking boots

sturdy implies strength derived from vigorous growth, determination of spirit, solidity of construction.

a sturdy table

people of sturdy independence

stalwart suggests an unshakable dependability.

stalwart environmentalists

tough implies great firmness and resiliency.

a tough political opponent

tenacious suggests strength in seizing, retaining, clinging to, or holding together.

tenacious farmers clinging to an age-old way of life

Examples of strong in a Sentence

Adjective

an athlete with strong muscles

He's as strong as an ox.

The table should be strong enough to survive the trip.

The builder added supports to make the walls stronger.

He'll return to work when he's feeling a little stronger.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

According to research from Everytown for Gun Safety, a nonprofit that advocates for gun control, strong gun control laws are correlated with fewer gun deaths. —Elliot Hughes, Journal Sentinel, 13 Jan. 2023

This results in a charge imbalance that builds up an electric field strong enough to trigger flashes of lightning. —National Geographic, 13 Jan. 2023

Adverb

Arkansas tourism returned strong after being hit hard by the pandemic, with the Natural State playing host to roughly a third more tourists in 2022 than in 2019. —Josh Snyder, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2023

Raha, whose full name and identity are being withheld for her safety, says the flames of the Woman, Life, Freedom revolution are still burning strong within the women forgoing their hijab in public, even if people are no longer taking to the streets in protest. —Sarah Baniak, ABC News, 19 Sep. 2023

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, from Old English strang; akin to Old High German strengi strong, Latin stringere to bind tight — more at strain

First Known Use

Adjective

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adverb

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing strong

• a bit strong
• come on strong
• going strong
• go strong
• strong anthropic principle
• strong-arm
• strong breeze
• strong drink
• strong force
• strong gale
• strong language
• strong-minded
• strong on
• strong room
• strong safety
• strong side
• strong, silent types
• strong stomach
• strong suit
• strong-willed

Kids Definition

strong

adjective

ˈstrȯŋ 

stronger

ˈstrȯŋ-gər

; strongest

ˈstrȯŋ-gəst

1

: having or marked by great physical power : robust

2

: having moral or mental power

3

: having great resources (as of wealth)

4

: of a specified number

an army ten thousand strong

5

: being great or striking

a strong resemblance

6

: forceful, cogent

strong arguments

7

: not mild or weak : having much of some quality

strong coffee

strong acid

strong glasses

8

: moving with rapidity or force

strong wind

9

: enthusiastic, zealous

a strong believer in peace

10

: not easily captured or overcome

a strong fort

11

: well established : firm

strong traditions

12

: having a disgusting or powerful odor or flavor : rank

13

: of, relating to, or being a verb that forms the past tense by a change in the root vowel and the past participle usually by the addition of -en with or without change of the root vowel (as strive, strove, striven or drink, drank, drunk)

strong adverb

strongly

ˈstrȯŋ-lē 

adverb