as in gaunt
being tall, thin and usually loose-jointed
spindly, underfed dogs roamed the poverty-stricken village
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spindly
There dense clouds of dust and spindly filaments of cold molecular gas, the basic matter from which stars form, encircle the galaxy’s central supermassive black hole, Sagittarius A*.
—
Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 26 Feb. 2026
Despite the novelty of this world having been exhausted on me long ago, seeing twelve identical borzois in a row, echoing the ornate, spindly verticality of a Gothic revival palace, still tripped me out.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Cut yourself a big bouquet and trim spindly, dead or crossing branches to encourage better blooms this spring.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
One is a spindly stick about 2 1/2 feet long that could have been used for digging in the mud.
—Adithi Ramakrishnan, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spindly
Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 26 Feb. 2026
Despite the novelty of this world having been exhausted on me long ago, seeing twelve identical borzois in a row, echoing the ornate, spindly verticality of a Gothic revival palace, still tripped me out.
—Andrew Norman Wilson, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Cut yourself a big bouquet and trim spindly, dead or crossing branches to encourage better blooms this spring.
—Jeanette Marantos, Los Angeles Times, 1 Feb. 2026
One is a spindly stick about 2 1/2 feet long that could have been used for digging in the mud.
—Adithi Ramakrishnan, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spindly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spindly
Adjective
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Lie’s Evans is gaunt and distant, a shy man hidden behind a veil of cigarette smoke, unable to process — or even express — his grief.—
Scott Roxborough,
HollywoodReporter,
5 Mar. 2026
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Nitibhon, a Thai supermodel, plays her tycoon as comically drab, keeping her gaunt cheeks slack to emphasize her character’s hollowness.—
Amy Nicholson,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
For a simple but stylish outfit, wear black skinny jeans with a relaxed T-shirt, a cardigan sweater, and loafers.—
René Chávez Esparza,
Glamour,
17 Mar. 2026
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The fourth suspect wore a black ski mask, a black hooded sweatshirt, blue skinny jeans and white gym shoes.—
Daniel I. Dorfman,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The lanky, athletic Raiders (who have six players who are 6-foot-3 or taller) completely shut down Cherry Creek in the Great 8 by allowing only 12 first-half points.—
Kyle Newman,
Denver Post,
11 Mar. 2026
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Nansen, tall, lanky, and sporting neon Vuarnet shades, greets me with a firm handshake.—
Jen Murphy,
Robb Report,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
17 Mar. 2026
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Loose Flashings Flashings are thin materials—typically made from metals like aluminum or copper—that are installed at joints and penetrations on roofs and walls including chimneys, valleys, windows, and vents.—
Asia London Palomba,
The Spruce,
16 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Lift your hips off the ground and place a block underneath your sacrum, the widest, boniest part of your pelvis.—
Cory Martin,
Verywell Health,
16 Oct. 2024
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Differences in Adult Bones That being said, some adults are bonier than others.—
Sam Walters,
Discover Magazine,
3 Nov. 2023
Adjective
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What to know about wood storks These gangly birds are sometimes called flintheads or ironheads because of their distinctive heads and necks.—
Dinah Voyles Pulver,
USA Today,
9 Feb. 2026
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War was coming, but for her father, Eberhard, then a gangly teenager, life in Hawaii was an endless summer.—
David Martin,
CBS News,
7 Dec. 2025
Adjective
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For example, a stop sign might as well be a tall, slender man with a large red hat!—
Etiido Uko
March 14,
New Atlas,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Night begins with a brand-new two-door 1967 Pontiac LeMans crawling on vertiginous Franklin Road outside Evans City, Pennsylvania, before making a hairpin turn up a steep, slender dirt road that leads into the famous cemetery.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spindly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spindly. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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