Beside him lay a little child, with her round white arms encircling his brown sinewy neck; and her golden-haired head resting upon the breast of his velveteen tunic.
Source: tatoeba (6310905)
Sinewy
/ˈsɪnjuːi/
Synonyms for "sinewy" (85 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (17)
Strong matches (26)
Related words (42)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: fibrous, muscular, stringy, tendinous, able-bodied.
- Sentence evidence is available for sinewy, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, derived_reverse, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "sinewy".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "sinewy"
Keep "sinewy" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "sinewy" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "sinewy", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "sinewy" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
6 entriesCollocations
6 entriessinewy buildsinewy fiberssinewy forearmssinewy limbssinewy musclessinewy physique
Inflections
2 entriesmore sinewymost sinewy
Derivations
1 entriessimilar
3 entriesTranslations
7 translations across 6 languages.
Bulgarian
2 entries- жилав adj (possessing physical strength)
- мускулест adj (possessing physical strength)
Czech
1 entries- svalnatý adj (possessing physical strength)
Dutch
1 entries- krachtig adj (possessing physical strength)
Finnish
1 entries- jäntevä adj (possessing physical strength)
German
1 entries- stark adj (possessing physical strength)
Spanish
1 entries- fibroso adj (possessing physical strength)
Sample sentences
7 total sentences available.
Then again / a third tall shaft I grasp, with sinewy strain / and firm knees pressed against the sandy ground; / when O! shall tongue make utterance or refrain? / forth from below a dismal, groaning sound / heaves, and a piteous voice is wafted from the mound:
Source: tatoeba (6932251)
Again I gripped him by the sleeve, and felt the thin, sinewy arm beneath it. “Well, you're not a spirit, anyhow,” said I.
Source: tatoeba (7432141)
I haue beene wooed, as I intreat thee now, Euen by the ſterne, and direfull God of warre, VVhoſe ſinowie necke in battel nere did bow, VVho conquers where he comes in euery iarre; […]
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 7 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "sinewy"?
Closest matches include fibrous, muscular, stringy, tendinous, able-bodied.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "sinewy"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.