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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Madonna kept the glam simple with a sleek, thick winged liner and a plump nude lip.—
Rachel Raposas,
People.com,
16 Jan. 2025
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It’s also loaded with moisturizing ingredients, like hyaluronic acid, ceramides, and vitamin E, to make sure your lips stay plump and protected.—
Jessica Kasparian,
SELF,
14 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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The most imposing constructions, hidden by nature, towered above the tree canopy.—
Anna Lagos,
WIRED,
2 Nov. 2024
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The Foundling certainly sounds like a more imposing leader in the long term than the country’s autocrat-of-the-day, right?—
Scott Tobias,
Vulture,
17 Mar. 2024
Adjective
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Peanut butter’s high fat content and low moisture prevent the growth of microorganisms like bacteria and mold, and are key factors in its long shelf life.—
Annie Peterson,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Jan. 2025
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The Alpha sports chunky fat tires for city riding and beyond, terrain-soaking adjustable front squish and a mid-mount motor with torque sensor.—
Paul Ridden,
New Atlas,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
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Her distinguished career has been recognized with the prestigious Grand Dame award of Les Dames d’Escoffier (LDEI), as well as 2013 Woman of the Year by the Maître Cuisiniers de France.—
Cynthia Graubart,
Bon Appétit,
24 Jan. 2025
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Bing Zhang, a distinguished professor in the department of physics and astronomy at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, has worked on research that models the origin points of fast radio bursts for years and has seen many observational clues suggesting magnetospheres could be a root cause.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN,
24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Açaí Berries Açaí berries are small, round, dark purple berries grown in Central and South America.—
Johna Burdeos,
Health,
23 Jan. 2025
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Then, gently brush out your bangs with a round brush.—
Ranyechi Udemezue,
Vogue,
22 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near portly
Cite this Entry
“Portly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portly. Accessed 31 Jan. 2025.
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