The robust meaning is strong, sturdy and able to stand up to pressure without breaking or failing. A robust table does not wobble when you lean on it, a robust child rarely falls ill, and a robust plan still works when something goes wrong.
The word shows up everywhere from coffee packets to engineering reports to business meetings, where it has become something of a buzzword. This guide gives a clear robust definition for each setting, the oak tree hidden in its history, and advice on keeping it from sounding like a corporate slide deck.
Entry at a glance
Meaning
Strong and sturdy; able to withstand stress or problemsPart of speech
Adjective (more robust, most robust)Pronunciation
roh-BUST, also ROH-bustWord forms
robustly (adverb), robustness (noun)Origin
French robuste, from Latin robustus, strong as oak, from robur, oak or hard timber; English since the 1540sOpposite
Fragile, frail, flimsy, weak, brittleClose words
Sturdy, strong, hardy, durable, resilient
Robust meaning in each setting
- People and bodies. Healthy, strong and full of energy: a robust ninety year old who still gardens daily.
- Objects. Solidly made and hard to damage: a robust phone case, robust hiking boots.
- Systems and plans. Able to keep working under stress, errors or change: a robust power grid, a robust backup plan.
- Evidence and arguments. Well supported and hard to knock down: robust findings that held up in several studies.
- Activity. Vigorous and energetic: a robust debate, robust sales, robust growth.
- Food and drink. Full and strong in flavour: a robust red wine, a robust dark roast.
What does robust mean in example sentences?
- The old bicycle was robust enough to survive ten monsoon seasons.
- We need a more robust process for checking invoices before they are paid.
- The council held a robust discussion about parking fees, but everyone stayed polite.
- Her immune system is robust, so she rarely catches the colds going around her class.
- This curry needs robust spices that will not get lost in the coconut milk.
Robust in science, statistics and tech
In technical work, robust has a precise sense: a result, method or design that is not easily thrown off by small changes, errors or unusual inputs.
- Statistics: a robust measure is not distorted much by extreme values. The median is more robust than the mean, because one huge number, an anomaly in the data, can drag the mean but barely moves the median.
- Research: a finding is robust if it holds up when other teams repeat the study with different samples or methods.
- Software and engineering: robust code handles bad input gracefully instead of crashing; a robust bridge design allows for loads far above normal.
For more terms like these, see science and ideas.
Robust, resilient, sturdy and agile
| Word | Main idea |
|---|---|
| Robust | Strong enough to resist stress in the first place |
| Resilient | Able to recover or bounce back after a shock |
| Sturdy | Physically solid and well built; mostly for objects and bodies |
| Durable | Lasts a long time with use |
| Agile | Quick to adapt and change direction |
A simple way to separate the first two: a robust wall does not crack in an earthquake; a resilient city rebuilds quickly after one does. Many systems aim to be both.
From oak trees to engineering reports
Robust reached English in the 1540s, describing people with great strength and vigour. It came from French robuste, taken from Latin robustus, meaning strong and hardy, literally "oaken." The Latin root robur meant hard timber, strength, or a kind of oak, possibly named for the reddish colour of its heartwood. Oak was the classic image of toughness, so a robust person was, in effect, built like an oak. The technical senses for systems and data came much later, as natural extensions of that idea of toughness.
Avoiding the buzzword trap
In business writing, robust is often stuck onto nouns without adding much: robust solutions, robust frameworks, robust synergies. Readers start to tune it out. Use it when you can say what the thing withstands. "A robust process" is vague; "a process that still works when two staff members are absent" is clear.
Also check pronunciation and tone. Both roh-BUST and ROH-bust are accepted. And in food or wine, robust is a compliment for strong flavour, not a polite word for harsh. For more everyday adjectives, visit everyday vocabulary, or see related words such as comprehensive.
Frequently asked questions
How would you define robust for a beginner?
Robust means strong and hard to break. It can describe a healthy person, a solid object, or a plan or system that keeps working when things go wrong.
Is robust a positive word?
Nearly every time, since it praises strength and reliability. The only risk is overuse in office jargon, where it can sound empty.
How do you pronounce robust?
Most people say roh-BUST, with the weight on the second part. ROH-bust, stressing the first part, is also listed as correct.
What is a robust economy?
An economy with strong growth, steady jobs and spending, and the ability to absorb shocks such as a rise in oil costs without falling into a downturn.
What does robust flavour mean?
A full, strong, rich taste. Coffee, red wine, cheese and spice blends are often described as robust when their flavour is bold rather than delicate.
What is the opposite of robust?
Fragile, frail, flimsy or weak, depending on the context. A fragile system breaks easily; a frail person lacks strength.