Meaning & use
wiry physique
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Meaning
nouncountable
A body type that is thin, lean, and strong, with tough, visible muscles rather than large, bulky ones.
Grammar: Often used with a possessive or an adjective: 'his wiry physique', 'a lean, wiry physique'.
Patterns
- a wiry physique
- someone's wiry physique
- have a wiry physique
The marathon runner had a wiry physique that made him look light on his feet.
Despite his wiry physique, he could lift heavy boxes without much effort.
She admired the dancer's wiry physique, all muscle and no extra weight.
Word forms
| plural | wiry physiques |
|---|
Common combinations
- have a wiry physique
- Both brothers have a wiry physique, perfect for long-distance running.
- lean, wiry physique
- The coach looked for players with a lean, wiry physique.
- small but wiry physique
- His small but wiry physique gave him an advantage in gymnastics.
- build a wiry physique
- Years of rock climbing helped her build a wiry physique.
Synonyms and how they differ
- lean build
- Focuses on thinness without extra fat, but does not necessarily suggest tough, strong muscles like 'wiry physique' does.
- athletic frame
- Suggests a body suited to sports, often with more visible muscle bulk than a wiry physique.
- sinewy body
- Very close in meaning, but 'sinewy' emphasizes tough, tendon-like strength and is more literary.
Opposites
Word family
Commonly confused: wiry physique or physical?
wiry physique vs physical
Physical relates to the body or to real things you can touch; physique is the body's form itself. You can say 'a strong physique' but not 'a strong physical' in this sense.
Practice
The gymnast had a ______ physique: thin but with hard, visible muscles.
Choose one answer.
'Wiry' is the correct adjective meaning thin but strong. 'Wire' is a noun for the metal thread, and 'wiring' is the system of wires, so neither fits before 'physique'.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “wiry physique”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.