heavy-set

A heavy-set man lifts a box onto a shelf.

Definition

1. Adjective:
   • Having a broad, sturdy, and solidly built body: "heavy-set" describes a person who is large in build, with a thick and muscular frame, often suggesting physical strength or robustness.

Usage Examples

• Adjective:
  • The heavy-set man easily lifted the heavy crate. (The man had a broad, sturdy body that made him physically strong.)
  • She is not overweight, just naturally heavy-set with a stocky frame. (Her body is broad and solid, not necessarily fat.)
  • The bouncer at the club was a heavy-set individual with broad shoulders. (The bouncer had a large, powerful physique.)

Advanced Usage

• "Heavy-set" as a descriptor of animals or objects: While primarily used for humans, it can sometimes describe animals or even objects that are thick and sturdy.
  • The heavy-set bulldog waddled across the yard. (The bulldog had a broad, stocky body.)
  • The table was heavy-set, with thick legs and a solid oak top. (The table was built strongly and thickly.)

Variants and Related Words

• Heavyset (alternate spelling): The word is often written as one word without a hyphen.

  • He is a heavyset man in his fifties. (Same meaning as "heavy-set.")

• Stocky (adj): Similar in meaning—having a short, broad, and sturdy body.

  • The stocky athlete was very strong. (Stocky implies a similar build but often suggests a shorter stature.)

• Thickset (adj): Another synonym, meaning heavily and solidly built.

  • The thickset guard stood at the door. (Thickset is nearly identical in meaning to heavy-set.)

Synonyms

• Burly: large and strong of body; muscular.

  • The burly carpenter carried the beam alone. (Burly emphasizes muscularity and strength.)

• Sturdy: strongly and solidly built.

  • She had a sturdy frame from years of farm work. (Sturdy focuses on durability and strength.)

• Solid: having a firm and strong body; not thin or fragile.

  • He was a solid man, built like a wrestler. (Solid suggests a compact, muscular build.)

Related Idioms

• Built like a brick shithouse: (informal, vulgar) having an extremely strong and muscular body.

  • The football player was built like a brick shithouse. (This idiom emphasizes extreme sturdiness.)

• Broad-shouldered: having wide shoulders, often associated with a heavy-set build.

  • The heavy-set man was broad-shouldered and imposing. (Broad-shouldered focuses on a specific physical feature.)