stalwart

1 of 2

adjective

stal·​wart ˈstȯl-wərt How to pronounce stalwart (audio)
: marked by outstanding strength and vigor of body, mind, or spirit
stalwart common sense
stalwartly adverb
stalwartness noun

stalwart

2 of 2

noun

1
: a stalwart person
2
: an unwavering partisan

Did you know?

Sometime in the 15th century, English speakers began to use stalwart in place of the older form stalworth. Although stalworth is now archaic, it laid the groundwork for today's meaning of stalwart. During the 12th century, forms of stalworth began to be used to describe strongly built people or animals (a meaning stalwart carries). It also came to be used as an adjective for people who showed bravery or courage (likewise a meaning passed on to stalwart). So, in a way, stalwart has been serviceable in keeping the spirit of stalworth alive. This character of stalwart is true to its roots. Stalworth came from the Old English word stǣlwierthe (meaning "serviceable"), which, in turn, is thought to come from terms meaning "foundation" and "worth."

Choose the Right Synonym for stalwart

strong, stout, sturdy, stalwart, tough, tenacious mean showing power to resist or to endure.

strong may imply power derived from muscular vigor, large size, structural soundness, intellectual or spiritual resources.

strong arms
the defense has a strong case

stout suggests an ability to endure stress, pain, or hard use without giving way.

stout hiking boots

sturdy implies strength derived from vigorous growth, determination of spirit, solidity of construction.

a sturdy table
people of sturdy independence

stalwart suggests an unshakable dependability.

stalwart environmentalists

tough implies great firmness and resiliency.

a tough political opponent

tenacious suggests strength in seizing, retaining, clinging to, or holding together.

tenacious farmers clinging to an age-old way of life

Examples of stalwart in a Sentence

Adjective their strong and stalwart son the stalwart soldiers in the army of Alexander the Great, who willingly followed him to the ends of the known world
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
His father died eight days before he was born in 1864, and he was raised in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, by his widowed mother, a small-businesswoman and a stalwart temperance advocate. Michael Jackman, Detroit Free Press, 9 Mar. 2024 Also back are stalwart Rodrigo Lopez, fan favorite Jack Gurr, top-shelf keeper Danny Vitiello, midfielders Luis Filipe Fernandes and Arnold Lopez, and core defenders Lee Desmond and Connor Donovan. Chris Biderman, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2024 His stalwart navigator Chik (Ali Suliman) has a bad knee. Courtney Howard, Variety, 13 Mar. 2024 Greene is a firebrand Trump ally, but even some stalwart supporters of Ukraine have begun to align with the former president. Adam Taylor, Washington Post, 15 Feb. 2024 Both defenses have been stalwart throughout the season. Victoria Hernandez, USA TODAY, 31 Jan. 2024 The Dewberry is a stalwart character in Charleston, not only housing 154 guest rooms and suites, but also a spa, rooftop cocktail lounge, swanky ground-floor bar, and a shopping experience from Garden & Gun. Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 27 Feb. 2024 So center Joshua Morgan, the Trojans’ 6-foot-11 stalwart man in the middle, took the onus postgame. Luca Evans, Orange County Register, 31 Jan. 2024 Britain, perhaps Ukraine’s most stalwart supporter right now, has pledged additional billions in assistance. Howard Lafranchi, The Christian Science Monitor, 30 Jan. 2024
Noun
A couple of newcomers have put up strong showings, and an unscripted stalwart is growing, too. Rick Porter, The Hollywood Reporter, 13 Mar. 2024 Media writers, too: in 2004, the Television Critics Association gave its Outstanding Achievement in News and Information Award to Stewart over 60 Minutes, Nightline, and other traditional news stalwarts. Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 12 Feb. 2024 PepsiCo, for example, another one of the most stalwart of Super Bowl advertisers, is taking a title sponsorship in Guy Fieri’s Flavortown Tailgate, a party organized by the celebrity chef that will be held just minutes away from Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, the site of the game. Brian Steinberg, Variety, 5 Feb. 2024 Shines was a stalwart for the Indians during four consecutive American Association championships (1986-89) and two Triple-A Classic championships in 1988 and 1989. Zion Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 27 Jan. 2024 In recent months, rejected offers have come in from Bayern Munich for defensive stalwart Ronald Araujo according to Mundo Deportivo, while SPORT reported that Tottenham has already launched a low-ball bid for Frenkie de Jong. Tom Sanderson, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2024 Meta, a Silicon Valley stalwart, has laid off around 20,000 employees since November 2022. Paolo Confino, Fortune, 29 Feb. 2024 Other dignitaries who have resided in the Lake Shore Drive stalwart through the years range from William Wrigley Jr. to Chauncey Blair. Wendy Bowman, Robb Report, 29 Feb. 2024 The Scottish stalwarts will cross the Atlantic this spring to play songs from their new album, Nothing Lasts Forever. Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 20 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'stalwart.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, alteration of stalworth, from Old English stǣlwierthe serviceable

First Known Use

Adjective

15th century, in the meaning defined above

Noun

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of stalwart was in the 15th century

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Dictionary Entries Near stalwart

Cite this Entry

“Stalwart.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/stalwart. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

stalwart

1 of 2 adjective
stal·​wart ˈstȯl-wərt How to pronounce stalwart (audio)
: marked by outstanding strength and vigor of mind, body, or spirit
has stalwart common sense
a stalwart team of rescuers
stalwartly adverb

stalwart

2 of 2 noun
1
: a stalwart person
2
: a loyal supporter (as in politics)

More from Merriam-Webster on stalwart

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