stalwart

/ˈstɔlwərt/

/ˈstɔlwət/

Other forms: stalwarts; stalwartly

To be stalwart is to be courageous and dependable, like a stalwart knight who defends a kingdom from a ferocious dragon.

Stalwart can describe someone who's able to keep on going even when things get hard, like a marathon runner who doesn't slow down even after spraining an ankle, or a supporter of a political cause that everyone else has long declared over. In U.S. history, the word stalwart was used in 1877 to describe Republicans who remained unwilling to trust the South, even though the Civil War was long over by that time.

Definitions of stalwart

1. adjective

   having rugged physical strength; inured to fatigue or hardships
   “proud of her tall stalwart son”

   synonyms: hardy, stout, sturdy

   robust

   sturdy and strong in form, constitution, or construction
2. adjective

   possessing or displaying courage
   “a stalwart knight”

   synonyms: doughty, stouthearted

   brave, courageous

   possessing or displaying courage; able to face and deal with danger or fear without flinching
3. adjective

   dependable
   “the stalwart citizens at Lexington”

   “a stalwart supporter of the UN”

   synonyms: stout

   resolute

   firm in purpose or belief; characterized by firmness and determination
4. noun

   a person who is loyal to their allegiance (especially in times of revolt)
   synonyms: loyalist

   type of:

   admirer, booster, champion, friend, protagonist, supporter

   a person who backs a politician or a team etc.