1
as in plump
having an excess of body fat
a portly gentleman who loved to cook for his family and friends
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in imposing
having or showing a formal and serious or reserved manner
walked with the portly grace of the grande dame that she was
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of portly
One day, Lem held forth about H. G. Wells and Jules Verne to a portly man who turned out to run a publishing house.
—
Caleb Crain, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2022
Boyega had suggested a portly version of the young Sidney Poitier crossed with the facile charisma of the young Denzel Washington.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Aug. 2021
He was locked away to serve several life sentences, aging into a portly man with a thick white beard.
—New York Times, 13 June 2021
One of my favorite shots is of a portly man in a business suit, rubbing his hands together over and over, in an age-old gesture of distress.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2020
See All Example Sentences for portly
Caleb Crain, The New Yorker, 10 Jan. 2022
Boyega had suggested a portly version of the young Sidney Poitier crossed with the facile charisma of the young Denzel Washington.
—Armond White, National Review, 18 Aug. 2021
He was locked away to serve several life sentences, aging into a portly man with a thick white beard.
—New York Times, 13 June 2021
One of my favorite shots is of a portly man in a business suit, rubbing his hands together over and over, in an age-old gesture of distress.
—Alexandra Schwartz, The New Yorker, 14 Dec. 2020
See All Example Sentences for portly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portly
Adjective
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In other words, ceramides help to keep your skin tone plump and even.—
Taylor Lane,
Flow Space,
4 Apr. 2025
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This gooey essence hydrates, soothes, and leaves skin looking plump without feeling greasy.—
Simon Hill,
Wired News,
31 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The far more imposing limit is MLS’s global standing.—
Jeff Rueter,
The Athletic,
8 Feb. 2025
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And on the other hand, in a world where most of their top arms remain healthy and effective, the Dodgers could possess one of the most imposing starting pitching staffs in recent memory.—
Jack Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Suet Suet is defined as rendered beef fat, and suet cakes are a mixture of suet, seeds, fruit, and other bird-friendly mix-in.—
Abby Fribush,
Southern Living,
27 Mar. 2025
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The Ak-mak cracker’s selling point was its simplicity — whole wheat, low fat, made with honey rather than refined sugar.—
Bay Area News Group,
Mercury News,
25 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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Michel Koopman is the CEO & Founder at CxO Coaching, with a distinguished career as a senior operator and entrepreneur.—
Michel Koopman,
Forbes.com,
2 Apr. 2025
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Nestled along the storied banks of the River Thames, 15 Cheyne Walk stands as one of Chelsea’s most distinguished homes, a residence steeped in history, grandeur, and a 300-year-old legacy.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
2 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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His signature black-rimmed eyeglasses, huge and round, are bright yellow now.—
Dodie Kazanjian,
Vogue,
1 Apr. 2025
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We are led to the living room – also the television room – where Sayed and his wife, Zainab, demonstrate how to bake round sun bread, which rises in the sun.—
Francine Kiefer,
Christian Science Monitor,
1 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Portly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portly. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.
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