as in gaunt
being tall, thin and usually loose-jointed
spindly, underfed dogs roamed the poverty-stricken village
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Recent Examples of spindly
Most city kids were smooth-skinned, pale, and spindly, although Xi stands out in photographs as unusually robust, ruddy-cheeked, and well-fed.
—
Michael Sheridan, Vanity Fair, 8 Apr. 2026
Despite being a spindly 180 pounds, he has not been worn down by the rigors of the Big 10 or the NCAA tournament, having scored in double figures in every game since the calendar turned to 2026.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026
Once a spindly but speedy left midfielder, the 25-year-old Ahmed has developed into a tactically astute and fearless attacking player who has adapted to the physical English Championship with Norwich City far quicker than expected.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
In Low Light Don't plant your tomatoes in a shady spot, where the plants will grow spindly and set very little fruit.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spindly
Michael Sheridan, Vanity Fair, 8 Apr. 2026
Despite being a spindly 180 pounds, he has not been worn down by the rigors of the Big 10 or the NCAA tournament, having scored in double figures in every game since the calendar turned to 2026.
—Joseph Dycus, Mercury News, 3 Apr. 2026
Once a spindly but speedy left midfielder, the 25-year-old Ahmed has developed into a tactically astute and fearless attacking player who has adapted to the physical English Championship with Norwich City far quicker than expected.
—Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 11 Mar. 2026
In Low Light Don't plant your tomatoes in a shady spot, where the plants will grow spindly and set very little fruit.
—Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for spindly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spindly
Adjective
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When supermodels ruled the runway, low-rise pants hugged our hips, everyone smoked cigarettes, grunge was a music genre and an aesthetic, and looking scrawny and gaunt was considered attractive.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
30 Apr. 2026
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In late-stage chronic wasting disease, deer often appear emaciated and gaunt, Labonte said.—
Stephen Underwood,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Originally introduced in 2012, the concept was a bestseller between 2014 and 2019 while skinny jeans were still on trend.—
Sarah Jones,
Footwear News,
29 Apr. 2026
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And skinny labeling, which amounts to a carve-out tactic, is one way that Congress attempted to foster more competition and benefit consumers.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The lanky right-hander hasn’t won since beating the Chicago White Sox 14-2 on Opening Day, a span of five starts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
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The lanky right-hander hasn't won since beating the Chicago White Sox 14-2 on Opening Day, a span of five starts.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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There have also been suggestions that a dwarf planet called Makemake, which is slightly smaller than Pluto, could have a very thin atmosphere, though some scientists are skeptical.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
4 May 2026
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Astronomers have detected a thin atmosphere around a tiny celestial body in the outer solar system for the first time — an object previously thought to be too small to support the presence of an atmosphere.—
Ashley Strickland,
CNN Money,
4 May 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
-
In the first half, Jokic was minus-22 when the gangly center was on the court, continuing an alarming trend in the series.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
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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
Adjective
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For a speedy dinner chock-full of slender haricot verts, make this Gochujang Chicken Stir-Fry.—
Nina Moskowitz,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
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Jackson DeCosta, a tall and slender teenager with a metabolism faster than Lamar Jackson’s 40 time, had no such worries during a long Saturday in the draft room, according to his father.—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Spindly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spindly. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
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