as in gaunt
being tall, thin and usually loose-jointed
spindly, underfed dogs roamed the poverty-stricken village
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 spindly
His self-presentation is not that of a postmodern auteur, poised to trounce his critics, but of a goofy man off to the side with spectator shoes, spindly legs, and ginormous hands.
—
Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 24 June 2025
Planting sun-loving plants in a shady site usually results in plants with spindly growth and few, if any, flowers.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
But the tall, spindly lander face-planted in a crater near the moon's south pole and was declared dead within hours.
—Arkansas Online, 6 June 2025
The exterior was refreshed with a new face and tail, to give it a more modern look than the spindly grille of the pre-facelift model.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for spindly
Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 24 June 2025
Planting sun-loving plants in a shady site usually results in plants with spindly growth and few, if any, flowers.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
But the tall, spindly lander face-planted in a crater near the moon's south pole and was declared dead within hours.
—Arkansas Online, 6 June 2025
The exterior was refreshed with a new face and tail, to give it a more modern look than the spindly grille of the pre-facelift model.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for spindly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spindly
Adjective
-
Larry Shapiro, Calgary, Alberta Hamas has no conscience Seeing the sickly, gaunt faces of the three Israeli hostages released by Hamas in Gaza on Feb. 8 presented a clear picture of the loathing and deep hostility their abductors felt for them.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2025
-
The body of Jesus hangs like a lifeless, gaunt and emaciated husk.—
Mike Lowenberg,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Nothing fires up Google’s algorithm quite like talk of the return of skinny jeans, but for fall/winter 2025 designers are conspiring to relaunch another dormant Noughties trend: slouchy boho boots that puddle around the ankles and fold over the calves.—
Emma Spedding,
Vogue,
24 July 2025
-
Many have been quick to draw a connective throughline between the revival of trends like skinny jeans and bandage dress with the increasing accessibility of Ozempic and other GLP-1 injectables.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
The long, lanky wing has three blocks, five steals and six offensive rebounds over his 69 minutes of floor time, and he’s scored in double figures twice.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
18 July 2025
-
From rotund Oliver Hardy pairing with lanky Stan Laurel to Jack Black becoming our go-to PG party animal, bigger men have always had a place in comedy.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
16 July 2025
Adjective
-
Light cushioning maximizes comfort and support in the arch of your foot, while keeping its thin profile.—
Lauren Breedlove,
Travel + Leisure,
24 July 2025
-
Cover it with a thin layer of topsoil or compost to cover the seeds.—
Cody Godwin,
USA Today,
24 July 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
Differences in Adult Bones That being said, some adults are bonier than others.—
Sam Walters,
Discover Magazine,
3 Nov. 2023
Adjective
-
And for the current Bulls front office, that prototype is crystal clear — gangly, teenage wings who offer the potential of versatile playmaking in a raw, unproven package.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
27 June 2025
-
But a local coach nicknamed Taha noticed a gangly, tall-for-his-age 7-year-old and invited him to play for the AAU program Banneker Kings.—
Sam Cohn,
Baltimore Sun,
25 June 2025
Adjective
-
What’s Next in The Night Sky Just two mornings later, on July 23, a very slender waning crescent moon will rise near Jupiter in deep twilight, low in the east-northeast just before sunrise.—
Jamie Carter,
Forbes.com,
20 July 2025
-
There's just one real road that runs up and down this slender stretch of coast due to Tulum's quick growth, making navigating a breeze (but traffic is nothing less than hectic for much of the day).—
Carley Rojas Avila,
Travel + Leisure,
19 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spindly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spindly. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share