as in haggard
suffering extreme weight loss as a result of hunger or disease
a gaunt patient suffering from the side effects of treatment
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of gaunt
And Palestinian prisoners — some of whom also emerged from Israeli jails appearing gaunt — also embraced loved ones.
—
Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
In the distance, a line of tall gaunt leafless trees becomes visible.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2025
The relief was a big change from the shock and fury that erupted in Israel last Saturday when Hamas released three gaunt and apparently malnourished hostages and forced them to thank their captors.
—Johnatan Reiss, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
Last week, three male Israeli hostages who were released were frail and gaunt — appearing to be in worse condition than previous hostages Hamas released.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaunt
Rawan Sheikh Ahmad, New York Times, 20 Feb. 2025
In the distance, a line of tall gaunt leafless trees becomes visible.
—Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2025
The relief was a big change from the shock and fury that erupted in Israel last Saturday when Hamas released three gaunt and apparently malnourished hostages and forced them to thank their captors.
—Johnatan Reiss, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
Last week, three male Israeli hostages who were released were frail and gaunt — appearing to be in worse condition than previous hostages Hamas released.
—Daniel Estrin, NPR, 15 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gaunt
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gaunt
Adjective
-
When Claire first shows up, Sweeney’s haggard appearance is doubly shocking for anyone who’s seen how radiant the star looks in most roles.—
Peter Debruge,
Variety,
7 June 2025
-
Weinstein often looked haggard and out of it — unshaven, mouth ajar, eyes bleary.—
Phoebe Eaton,
HollywoodReporter,
22 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
The city’s extensive labyrinth of catacombs was nearby as well, underground ossuaries crammed full of the skeletal remains of millions of Parisians.—
Anelise Chen
June 3,
Literary Hub,
3 June 2025
-
Additional skeletal details, like the pattern of jaw articulation and the structure of the braincase, were also contradictory to its classification.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
29 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Gaunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gaunt. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share