What does sinew mean?
A sinew is a tendon or similar tough connective tissue that connects muscle to bone and helps provide physical strength. In figurative use, the word refers to the inner vitality, endurance, or essential resources that sustain a person, community, or undertaking. Expressions such as “the sinews of war” treat material resources, determined effort, and collective resolve as the forces that keep a large effort functioning. Sinew can therefore describe both literal physical power and the less visible strength on which larger systems depend. The word is recognizable and somewhat literary, but it remains common in discussions of anatomy, effort, resilience, and the resources needed to withstand pressure. Its figurative uses often carry a sense of toughness, endurance, and indispensability, rather than merely ordinary strength.
A tendon or other tough connective tissue connecting muscle to bone; figuratively, a source of strength, vitality, or indispensable support.
"His training strengthened the sinews of his back and legs."
To strengthen or prepare with physical or moral vitality.
"The experience sinewed the entire team for the challenges ahead."
The usual plural is “sinews,” especially in figurative expressions referring to strength, vitality, or essential resources.
"The organization conserved the sinews it needed to continue its work."
From a single tendon to the hidden strength of an entire people, sinew has long linked the body’s resilience with character and resolve.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of sinew
The English word descends from Old English sinwe, meaning a tendon or sinew. It is generally traced to Proto-Germanic *sinēwaz and has close cognates in languages including German, Dutch, and Scandinavian, where related words likewise refer to tendons. The modern spelling “sinew” reflects the Middle English form, while the word’s longstanding figurative meanings developed by analogy with the toughness and sustaining power of bodily connective tissue.
Related word forms
How sinew is actually used
The word is standard in both British and American English. Its anatomical sense is common, while figurative uses—especially “the sinews of” something—suggest fundamental strength or indispensable resources.
Easily confused with sinew
In modern anatomical usage, tendon is the more precise technical term, while sinew is the traditional general term for a tendon or similar tough connective tissue.