spindly
adjective
spin·dly
ˈspin(d)-lē 
ˈspin-dᵊl-ē
spindlier; spindliest
1
: of a disproportionately tall or long and thin appearance that often suggests physical weakness
spindly legs
2
: frail or flimsy in appearance or structure
a spindly tower
Examples of spindly in a Sentence
spindly, underfed dogs roamed the poverty-stricken village
Recent Examples on the Web
The setting’s gravity is also reflected in the music: Bates includes haunting strings, spindly mandolin, and gritty analog synthesizers, along with Wagnerian tubas, a nod to Adolf Hitler’s composer of choice.
—
Jane Bua, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2025
Evolution has adapted the digits of mammals for an enormous range of uses, from our opposable thumbs to the spindly digits that support bat wings to the robust bones that support the hoofs of horses.
—John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 17 Sep. 2025
In a spare dining room with concrete ceilings and spindly pendant lights, chef-owners Maria Teresa Gallina and Nicolas Martinez serve only what excites them most.
—The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
Light pruning can be done again in the fall to remove spindly branches that could break under snow or ice.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spindly
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Jane Bua, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2025
Evolution has adapted the digits of mammals for an enormous range of uses, from our opposable thumbs to the spindly digits that support bat wings to the robust bones that support the hoofs of horses.
—John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 17 Sep. 2025
In a spare dining room with concrete ceilings and spindly pendant lights, chef-owners Maria Teresa Gallina and Nicolas Martinez serve only what excites them most.
—The Bon Appétit Staff, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 Sep. 2025
Light pruning can be done again in the fall to remove spindly branches that could break under snow or ice.
—Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for spindly
Cite this Entry
“Spindly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spindly. Accessed 23 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spindly
adjective
spin·dly
ˈspin-(d)lē
-dᵊl-ē
spindlier; spindliest
: of a tall or long and thin appearance that often suggests physical weakness
spindly legs
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