Muscular

Forceful, vigorous, and effective in style, argument, or action.

Reach for it when using a bodily metaphor for an approach with real strength and enforcement

The council adopted a muscular response to repeated safety violations.

• playful

  hard-hitting

  when impact is sharp and uncompromising

  not when The phrase is combative and can glorify aggression.

• everyday

  strong

  when direct, broad praise of power or effectiveness is enough

  not when Strong is vague and does not capture muscular intensity.

• everyday

  tough

  when resilience or strict response deserves informal emphasis

  not when Tough can reward harshness and is too vague for policy analysis.

• warm

  powerful

  when substantial force or influence produces an effect

  not when Powerful can sound threatening and says little about method.

• professional

  assertive

  when a position is expressed confidently and directly

  not when Assertive concerns communication and should not imply aggression or enforcement.

• professional

  forceful

  when strong expression or action presses its point

  not when Forceful can become coercive and does not guarantee effectiveness.

• professional

  robust

  when a system or response is strong and resilient

  not when Robust is technical and may concern durability rather than assertive action.

• professional

  substantive

  when real measures replace symbolic gestures

  not when Substantive describes content, not necessarily force or enforcement.

• formal

  vigorous

  when energetic strength and activity are central

  not when Vigorous may describe effort without strategic weight or enforcement.

• weak
• feeble
• toothless

• muscular response

  The regulator's muscular response included inspections and enforceable deadlines.

• muscular prose

  Muscular prose gave the short essay energy without bluster.

• muscular policy

  A muscular policy is useless if the agency lacks staff to enforce it.

The figurative sense uses strength as a metaphor. It can sound aggressive or equate physical build with effectiveness, so strong, robust, or enforceable may be more precise.