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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Recent Examples of portly
In Facebook groups dedicated to Texas barbecue fandom, a recently popular meme shows a portly man dancing on a stripper pole.
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Elizabeth Findell, WSJ, 9 Mar. 2022
Made of steel, the watch had in its dial a sketch of a portly man, his face framed by round glasses and his broad shoulders clad in a wide-lapelled jacket.
—Sonia Paul, Wired, 1 Mar. 2022
That’s when the portly orphan, who was riding in the van with her, slices off her face to wear it as his own.
—Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 18 Feb. 2022
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
See All Example Sentences for portly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for portly
Adjective
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By doing this, the fibers also go from flat to fluffy, making the cushions look much more plump.—
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In addition to buying in season, look for berries with smooth, plump, and firm skin, which indicate high quality, says Michelle Hall, chef instructor at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts.—
Adjective
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The team had already excavated the other three corners of a narrow tomb occupied by an imposing, unnamed sarcophagus.—
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The most imposing building on Main Street is a gun shop called Chandler’s Firearms Estates, on the corner of East Church Street.—
Adjective
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This is due to the polyphenols and healthy fat content, according to Bobrick.—
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Chicken has slightly more protein than salmon and contains less fat.—
Adjective
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The 37th Annual Producers Guild Awards to be held on Saturday, February 28, 2026 at the Fairmont Century Plaza, and will also include special honors celebrating distinguished producers whose careers reflect sustained excellence and influence.—
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Attorney, civil rights advocate and political commentator Bakari Sellers will be the event's distinguished speaker.—
Adjective
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Safety Brandon Jones, who went on IR with a pectoral injury one week before Wattenberg, would be eligible to return ahead of Denver’s divisional round game, but Jones has not practiced since his injury.—
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The book is about early childhood, so the character design reflects a more warm, round style.—
Cite this Entry
“Portly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/portly. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
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