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
Grand Tours cater to spindly, ultralight cyclists who can ascend 3,000-foot mountain passes for days on end.
—
Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 2 Apr. 2025
Okay, okay — even though my spindly frame and past-his-prime age both immediately disqualify me from membership in this band of bodacious biceps, I am intrigued.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 3 Apr. 2025
The eyes in the sky gazed down on a copse of spindly trees in western Russia, hooking onto where North Korean forces were coalescing, a Ukrainian special operations forces commander, who is being identified only by his call sign, Green, told Newsweek.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 23 Mar. 2025
That extra-long body and those spindly fingers, the acid blood, and not just one mouth full of razor-sharp teeth, but two.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for spindly
Frederick Dreier, Outside Online, 2 Apr. 2025
Okay, okay — even though my spindly frame and past-his-prime age both immediately disqualify me from membership in this band of bodacious biceps, I am intrigued.
—Dalton Ross, EW.com, 3 Apr. 2025
The eyes in the sky gazed down on a copse of spindly trees in western Russia, hooking onto where North Korean forces were coalescing, a Ukrainian special operations forces commander, who is being identified only by his call sign, Green, told Newsweek.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 23 Mar. 2025
That extra-long body and those spindly fingers, the acid blood, and not just one mouth full of razor-sharp teeth, but two.
—Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 8 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for spindly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spindly
Adjective
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While Kahn was on the GLP-1 bandwagon earlier than most, her story has become the norm for those using weight loss drugs, finding their skin is looser and their face is more gaunt, creating a wealth of opportunity across the beauty ecosphere.—
Emily Burns,
Footwear News,
7 May 2025
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Egon Schiele had his thing for gaunt girls and their undergarments.—
Gal Beckerman,
The Atlantic,
14 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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She was dressed for vacation in a sheer white long sleeve mini dress and slides, while the realtor wore a casual travel-day combo of skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and sneakers.—
Natalia Senanayake,
People.com,
13 May 2025
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Ball is too inattentive on that end despite his impressive offensive skill set, and Miller is quite skinny and struggles to wall up on opposing guards and wings through his core.—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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But the 17-year-old’s lanky 6ft 3in (190cm) frame and composure on the ball stood out and his return is eagerly awaited.—
Anantaajith Raghuraman,
New York Times,
16 May 2025
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At 6-3, 191 pounds, Campbell presents a lanky frame in the middle of the infield or in the outfield.—
Bernie Pleskoff,
Forbes.com,
15 May 2025
Adjective
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The Biden administration lowered prices on 10 widely prescribed drugs, such as the blood thinner Eliquis, which will take effect in 2026.—
Ken Alltucker,
USA Today,
13 May 2025
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Apple touts its 13-inch iPad Pro as the thinnest Apple device at 0.20 inches.—
Iyaz Akhtar,
PC Magazine,
13 May 2025
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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Light pruning results in a gangly, unkempt plant by midsummer.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Apr. 2025
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Nate leaps into action-hero mode, and the film’s mayhem blowouts include a multi-weapon melee in a restaurant kitchen, leaving our gangly hero horribly burned but quite chipper about it, since his adversary is less fortunate.—
Michael Phillips,
Chicago Tribune,
12 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The animals have longer beaks, a more slender build and more distinctive dorsal fins than common bottlenose dolphins, according to Whale and Dolphin Conservation, a nonprofit.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
8 May 2025
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The handle is slender, ergonomically shaped, and has divots for an easier grip (and more control).—
Molly Higgins,
Wired News,
2 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spindly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spindly. Accessed 21 May. 2025.
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