Definition

Adjective: 1. Having broad, straight, and often muscular shoulders that create a squared or angular appearance at the top of the torso. This term describes a physical build where the shoulders are wide and do not slope, giving a strong, rectangular, or athletic silhouette.

Usage

The adjective "square-shouldered" is used attributively (before a noun) or predicatively (after a linking verb like "be" or "look"). It is a descriptive term often found in physical descriptions of people.

Examples

• Attributive use:

  • He was a square-shouldered man who looked like he could lift heavy weights.
  • The uniform was designed for a square-shouldered build.

• Predicative use:

  • The swimmer is tall and square-shouldered.
  • Despite his age, he remained remarkably square-shouldered.

Advanced Usage

• The term can imply strength, athleticism, or a military bearing.
  • Her square-shouldered posture commanded authority in the boardroom.
• It can be used metaphorically to suggest resilience or the ability to bear burdens.
  • He faced the crisis with a square-shouldered determination.

Variants and Related Words

• Broad-shouldered (adj.): Having wide shoulders. This is a very close synonym but may not always imply the same angular, "squared" shape.
• Heavy-armed (adj.): Having large, muscular arms. Often appears in conjunction with "square-shouldered" in descriptive passages.

Synonyms

• Broad-shouldered
• Big-shouldered

Antonyms

• Slope-shouldered
• Narrow-shouldered
• Round-shouldered (often implying a stooped posture)

Adjective

1. having broad shoulders
   • big-shouldered and heavy-armed