Word of the Day

: July 22, 2026

stalwart

play
adjective STAWL-wert

What It Means

Stalwart is a formal word used to describe someone or something that is very loyal and dedicated or that is physically or mentally strong.

// He was a stalwart civil rights supporter throughout his political career.

// The football team's stalwart defense only gave up a single field goal in the second half.

See the entry >

stalwart in Context

"Arbour is a stalwart defender of women's rights, having witnessed the struggle for equality during Quebec's Quiet Revolution." — Allison Hanes, The Montreal Gazette, 6 May 2026

Build your vocabulary! Get Word of the Day in your inbox every day.


Which Came First?

  • baby chick with a brown egg
  • hot take or cold shoulder?
Spell It

Hear a word and type it out. How many can you get right?

TAKE THE QUIZ
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.

Pick the best words!

PLAY

Did You Know?

Stalwart is a word with ancient roots that has lent its stalwart service to the English language for centuries. Coming, via Middle English, from the Old English word stǣlwierthe, meaning "serviceable," stalwart describes people or things that are marked by outstanding strength and vigor of body, mind, or spirit, as revealed by traits such as loyalty and steadfastness, capability and dependability, or physical robustness. Old oak trees, for example, have long been described as stalwart for their imposing stature and endurance. A baseball team's closing pitcher may be deemed stalwart by showing mental fortitude in consistently striking out opposing batters in high-pressure situations. And a stalwart lover is one who, through thick and thin, is never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and hurt you.



Name That Synonym

Fill in the blanks to complete a synonym of the adjective stalwart: s _ o _ _ h _ _ r _ e _.

VIEW THE ANSWER

Podcast

<iframe> Player Code
Embed this player on your website using the snippet below
<iframe sandbox="allow-scripts allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-same-origin" src="https://art19.com/shows/merriam-websters-word-of-the-day/episodes/76023c6f-9400-450f-a2ea-285e83fafd97/embed?theme=light-blue" style="width: 100%; height: 200px; border: 0 none;" scrolling="no"></iframe>

More Words of the Day

Top Lookups
  • 1
    existential
  • 2
    happy
  • 3
    enigma
  • 4
    culture
  • 5
    didactic
  • 6
    pedantic
  • 7
    love
Love words? Need even more definitions?

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