strong Hear it!

strong Definition

strong (strôŋ)

adjective

    1. physically powerful; having great muscular strength; robust
    2. in a healthy and sound condition; hale; hearty
    1. performing well or in a normal manner a strong heart
    2. not easily affected or upset a strong stomach
  3. morally powerful; having strength of character or will
    1. intellectually powerful; able to think vigorously and clearly
    2. having special competence or ability (in a specified area) to be strong in botany
  5. governing or leading with firm authority; authoritarian
    1. powerfully made, built, or constituted; tough; firm; durable a strong wall, a strong fabric
    2. holding firmly; tenacious a strong grip
    3. binding tightly strong glue
    1. hard to capture; able to resist and endure attack a strong fort
    2. not easily defeated; formidable a strong opponent
    3. not easily dislodged; deep-rooted strong prejudice
  8. having many resources; powerful in wealth, numbers, supplies, etc. a strong nation
  9. of a specified number; reaching a certain degree in number or strength a task force 6,000 strong
  10. having a powerful effect; drastic strong measures
  11. having a large amount of its essential quality; not weak or diluted strong coffee
  12. affecting the senses powerfully; intense a strong light, strong smell, etc.
  13. having an offensive taste or smell; rank strong butter
  14. firm and loud a strong voice
  15. intense in degree or quality; not mild; specif.,
    1. ardent; passionate; warm strong affection
    2. forceful; persuasive; cogent strong reasons
    3. felt deeply; pronounced; decided a strong opinion
    4. vigorously active; zealous a strong socialist
    5. vigorous, forthright, and unambiguous, often offensively so strong language
    6. clear; distinct; marked a strong resemblance
    7. receiving or showing emphasis or stress a strong accent or beat
  16. moving rapidly and with force a strong wind
  17. having high powers of magnification strong lenses
  18. tending toward higher prices: said of a stock or stock market
  19. Chem. having a high ion concentration, as certain acids and bases
  20. Gram. in English and other Germanic languages, designating or of verbs that express variation in tense chiefly by internal change of a syllabic vowel rather than by the addition of inflectional endings; irregular (Ex.: swim, swam, swum; drive, drove, driven)

Etymology: ME < OE strang, akin to ON strangr, strong, severe, Ger streng, severe < IE base *strenk-, *streng-, tense, taut > string, Gr strangos, twisted, L stringere, to draw taut

adverb

in a strong manner; greatly; severely; with force

strong Related Forms
strong′·ish adjective strong′ly adverb
strong Idioms

come on strong

☆

Slang to make a striking impression, often in an aggressive way

strong Synonyms

strong

modif.

  1. Physically strong; said especially of persons

    robust, sturdy, firm, muscular, sinewy, thewy, vigorous, stout, hardy, big, heavy, husky, lusty, active, potent, energetic, tough, virile, doughty, mighty, athletic, able-bodied, powerful, manly, heavy-set, stalwart, brawny, burly, wiry, strapping, having what it takes*, hard as nails*, made of iron*, in fine feather*, having the makings*.

    Antonyms weak*, emaciated*, feeble. *

  2. Physically strong; said especially of things

    solid, sturdy, firm, staunch, unimpaired, well-established, well-founded, well-built, secure, tough, durable, able, unyielding, steady, stable, fixed, sound, powerful, mighty, tough, well-made, rugged, substantial, reinforced.

    Antonyms unstable*, insecure*, tottering.

  3. Healthy

    sound, hale, hearty; see sense 1, healthy 1.

  4. Firm

    steadfast, determined, staunch; see resolute 2.

  5. Intelligent

    sagacious, clear-headed, perceptive; see intelligent 1.

  6. Powerful

    great, mighty, influential; see powerful 1.

  7. Extreme

    drastic, forceful, strict; see extreme 2.

  8. Potent in effect

    powerful, potent, high-powered, stiff, power-packed, effective, hard, high-potency, stimulating, inebriating, intoxicating, hot*, spiked*.

  9. Undiluted

    straight, rich, unmixed; see concentrated 1.

  10. Intense

    sharp, acute, keen; see intense.

  11. Distinct

    clear, marked, sharp; see definite 2, obvious 1, 2.

  12. Competent

    adept, proficient, skilled; see able.

  13. Financially sound

    stable, solid, safe; see reliable 2.

  14. Convincing

    cogent, potent, forceful; see persuasive.

come on strong*

impose oneself, put the make on, make a strong impression, be aggressive.

strong Usage Examples

Modifying Another Word

  • particularly: Software The region is particularly strong in the field of software, with more than 3,000 companies located across the South West.
  • very: Liquid hydrogen fluoride is also a very strong acid for the same reason.
  • exceptionally: The construction on the Sigma 38 is exceptionally strong and was built in excess of the requirements required by the ABS Mark II guide.
  • sufficiently: For sufficiently strong interactions, such systems may have many meta-stable states.

Infinitive complement

  • cope: This rugged boot is strong enough to cope with the most arduous agricultural conditions.
  • resist: Will he be strong enough to resist the temptation to revert to crime?
  • penetrate: Thin enough to conceal on your wrist or under a coat, yet strong enough to penetrate the thickest hands and tables.
  • survive: Be sure to have your bodyguards strong enough to survive through the entire level.

Modifies a noun

  • emphasis: In fact, today I am 40 years old, with very strong emphasis on the word ' old ' .
  • wind: Strong winds during the night had blown my towel from the washing line, where it had been drying.
  • sense: It's very moving yet you're a person with a strong sense of fun in reality.
  • link: Strong links with external organizations had already been developed.
  • commitment: Liverpool Victoria have built a trusted partnership with RCM - a partnership based on shared values and strong commitment to treating customers fairly.
  • feeling: Well, we have a strong feeling you do.

Used with adjective complement

  • remain: In terms of junior golf, Cheshire remains strong.
  • grow: The ring tightened and the concentration of magic grows stronger.
  • go: Our co-ordinator is going strong despite surgery in June 2005.
  • become: They often become stronger within weeks with the care we provide.
  • stay: And they carried baskets of wine and bread and oxygen, so that we could party and the men would stay strong.
  • feel: I should feel so much stronger if I felt that you were at the back of me.
strong Quotes

Es ist derVorzug und das Wesen der Starken, dass sie die groÞen Entscheidungsfragen stellen und zu ihnen klar Stellung nehmen k o« nnen. Die Schwachen mu«  ssen sich immer zwischen Alternativen entscheiden, die nicht die ihren sind. It is the nature, and the advantage, of strong people that they can bring out the crucial questions and form a clear opinion about them. The weak always have to decide between alternatives that are not their own.

—Bonhoeffer, Dietrich

Where all the women are strong, all the men are good- looking, and all the children are above average.

—Keillor, (Gary Edward) Garrison

I returned, and saw under the sun, that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, neither yet bread to the wise, nor yet riches to men of understanding, nor yet favour to men of skill; but time and chance happeneth to them all.

—Bible (Old Testament)

In anguish we uplift A new unhallowed song: The race is to the swift, The battle to the strong. See Bible101:85.

—Davidson,John

Have I not commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage: be not afraid, neither bethoudismayed: for the L thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

—Bible (Old Testament)

Be strong, and quit yourselves like men.

—Bible (Old Testament)

   Igothewayofall theearth: bethoustrong therefore,and shew thyself a man.

—Bible (Old Testament)

Come; and strong within us Stir theVikings' blood; Bracing brain and sinew; Blow, thou wind of God!

—Kingsley, Charles

Life's battle is a conquest for the strong; The meaning shows in the defeated thing.

—Masefield,John Edward

To disarm the strong and arm the weak would be to change the social order which it's my job to preserve. Justice is the means by which established injustices are sanctioned.

—Thibault

It takes up no falling cause; fights no uphill battle; advocatesnogreat principle; holdsout a helping hand to no oppressed or obscure individual. It is 'ever strong upon the stronger side'.

—Hazlitt,William

It is well known that of every strong woman they say she has a masculine mind.

—Fuller, (Sarah) Margaret, Marchioness Ossoli

I, too, sing America. I am the darker brother. They send me to eat in the kitchen When company comes. But I laugh And eat well, And grow strong.

—Hughes, (James Mercer) Langston

If the fence is strong enough, I'll sit on it.

—Smith, Sir Cyril

Religion isthetragedy of mankind† But I do know, from the inside as well as from personal observation, that religion appeals to something deep and irrational and strong within us, and that is what makes it so dangerous.

—Wilson, A(ndrew) N(orman)

   Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruninghooks into spears: let the weak say, I am strong.

—Bible (Old Testament)

Since his capacity to do is forced into channels of evil through environment and pressures, man is strong before he is moral. The world's anguish is caused by people between twentyand forty.

—Faulkner,William Harrison

The world breaks everyone and afterwards many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills. It kills the very good and the very gentle and the very brave impartially. If you are none of these you can be sure it will kill you too but there will be no special hurry.

—Hemingway, Ernest Millar

Men's actions are too strong for them. Show me a man who has acted, and who has not been the victim and slave of his action.

—Emerson, RalphWaldo

The man who listens to Reason is lost: Reason enslaves all whose minds are not strong enough to master her.

—Shaw, George Bernard

   This is the law of theYukon, that only the Strong shall thrive; That surely theWeak shall perish, and only the Fit survive.

—Service, Robert William

And hesaiduntothem,Outoftheeatercameforthmeat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle.

—Bible (Old Testament)

   He isstrong and pain isworseto thestrong, incapacity is worse.

—Jeffers, (John) Robinson

Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

—Bible (NewTestament)

Even if I die in the service of this nation,I would be proud of it. Every drop of my blood,I am sure, will contribute to the growth of this nation and make it strong and dynamic.

—Gandhi, Indira Priyad Arshini

Nous avons tous assez de force pour supporter les maux d'autrui. We are all strong enough to bear the misfortunes of others.

—La Rochefoucauld, Fran c° ois, 6th Duc de

None need a guide, by sure attraction led, And strong impulsive gravity of head.

—Pope, Alexander

Strong is the lionölike a coal His eye-ballölike a bastion's mole His chest against the foes: Strong, the gier-eagle on his sail, Strong against tide, th'enormous whale Emerges as he goes.

—Smart, Christopher

O could I flow like thee, and make thy stream My great example, as it is my theme! Though deep, yet clear, though gentle, yet not dull, Strong without rage, without o'erflowing full.

—Denham, SirJohn

The nation seems to slouch onward into its uncertain future like some huge inarticulate beast, too much attainted by wounds and ailments to be robust, but too strong and resourceful to succumb.

—Hofstadter, Richard

Man wants but little drink below, But wants that little strong.

—Holmes, Oliver Wendell