lanky

adjective

ˈlaŋ-kē 

lankier; lankiest

: ungracefully tall and thin

lankily

ˈlaŋ-kə-lē 

adverb

lankiness

ˈlaŋ-kē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of lanky

• gaunt
• skinny
• spindly
• gangling
• rangy
• thin
• gangly
• slender

Choose the Right Synonym for lanky

lean, spare, lank, lanky, gaunt, rawboned, scrawny, skinny mean thin because of an absence of excess flesh.

lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken

skinny street urchins

Examples of lanky in a Sentence

the lanky basketball star was great at slam-dunking

Recent Examples on the Web

In person, Turner was tall, lanky and loud. —Cynthia Littleton, Variety, 14 May 2026

Use a dwarf variety of this typically tall annual to avoid lanky flowers that could fall over. —Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 12 May 2026

Trevor is a lanky, handsome Pacific Northwesterner duly decked out in flannel and denim. —Matt Thompson, SPIN, 11 May 2026

Some of Ayton’s shooting struggles have depended on where the lanky 7-foot-1 Holmgren has been on the court, Redick said. —Los Angeles Times, 10 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1818, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lanky

• cranky
• hanky
• yankee

Kids Definition

lanky

adjective

ˈlaŋ-kē 

lankier; lankiest

: being tall, thin, and usually loose-jointed

a lanky teenager

lankily

-kə-lē 

adverb

lankiness

-kē-nəs 

noun