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Glite Dictionary
strapping

strapping

19 4.4
A person who is tall and strongly built
  • adjective
  • /ˈstræpɪŋ/
: robusto
  • He is a tall, strong, strapping athlete who excels in every sport he tries.
  • a strapping guy
  • big and strapping
  • tall and strapping

And he goes through all his sons and all these are like big, strapping, strong, you know, strong men.

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Examples

  • And he goes through all his sons and all these are like big, strapping, strong, you know, strong men.

    Dr. Josh Axe

  • You might be a big, strapping, brave guy.

    Blog text (34)

  • "He's a big, strapping man," Father said.

    Fiction book (1998)

  • The strapping young man helped carry the heavy boxes up the stairs.

  • Everyone admired her new boyfriend, a big, strapping guy with a charming smile.

Synonyms

burly
vsstrapping
16 4.6

A large, strong person with heavy muscles

is taller and not only defined by heavy muscular bulk
beefy
vsstrapping
15 4.0

A large strong person or animal with big, heavy muscles

is taller and implies height as well as strong build
husky
vsstrapping
15 3.3

A person who is big and strong

is taller rather than only muscular and heavily built
hulking
vsstrapping
12 5.5

Very big and heavy, often looking awkward or scary

is taller and suggests strength rather than awkward, heavy size
buirdly
vsstrapping
  • UK
9.9

Large and muscular with a heavy body

is neutral standard usage rather than the regional term

Antonyms

weak
315 1.0

Not strong in body or muscles and easily tired

petite
3 4.4

A clothing size for women who are short or slim

How Strong

brawny
6 4.7
muscular
55 2.8
strapping
19 4.4
sturdy
79 2.1
average
∞ 1.0
slim
91 1.0
frail
58 4.1

Surface Forms

strapping positive

Morphology

strapping = strap (opaque) = strap + ing

Although formed by the verb 'strap' + '-ing', the adjectival meaning 'tall, strong' cannot be derived from the sense 'to fasten', indicating a semantic shift.

Etymology

Strapping comes from the simple word strap, meaning a strong band or belt used to hold things tight. So a strapping person is like someone 'held together' by strength and size, meaning 'tall, strong, and heavily built'.