bruiser

noun

bruis·​er ˈbrü-zər How to pronounce bruiser (audio)
: a big husky man

Examples of bruiser in a Sentence

That boy is going to be a bruiser when he grows up!
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
During the 1976 gun season, Jim Thomson shot a 12-point bruiser in the county that netted 174 6⁄8. — Richard P. Smith, Outdoor Life, 27 Aug. 2026 In Jacksonville’s full-fledged running-back-by-committee approach, the bruiser is sure to blast between the tackles, operating as a short-yardage and red-zone specialist. — Brad Evans, New York Times, 20 Aug. 2026 Ike is a 6-9, 245-pound bruiser with a willingness to shoot from distance. — Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 9 July 2026 To this day, his 2019 Aladdin movie still ranks as one of the most rip-roaring live action adaptations of a Disney cartoon while his take on Sherlock Holmes was more of a bare-knuckle bruiser than a debonair detective. — Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 30 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for bruiser

Word History

First Known Use

1742, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of bruiser was in 1742

Rhymes for bruiser

See All Rhymes for bruiser

Browse Nearby Words

bruised
bruiser
bruisewort
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Bruiser.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/bruiser. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

bruiser

noun
bruis·​er ˈbrü-zər How to pronounce bruiser (audio)
: a big husky person
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of apiary

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All