spindly

adjective

spin·​dly ˈspin(d)-lē 

ˈspin-dᵊl-ē

spindlier; spindliest

1

: of a disproportionately tall or long and thin appearance that often suggests physical weakness

spindly legs

2

: frail or flimsy in appearance or structure

a spindly tower

Synonyms of spindly

• gaunt
• skinny
• lanky
• thin
• gangling
• bony
• gangly
• slender

Examples of spindly in a Sentence

spindly, underfed dogs roamed the poverty-stricken village

Recent Examples on the Web

During that time, three astronauts tested the spindly lunar excursion module in Earth orbit. —Dejanay Booth-Singleton, CBS News, 12 June 2026

In Vivo 17 is a classic alien design, with a big head and huge black bug eyes and long, spindly fingers. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 12 June 2026

Before Roosevelt, there was 6-foot-4 Abraham Lincoln, a gangly, spindly wrestler who is reputed to have lost only one fight over a dozen years. —Bhumika Tharoor, The Atlantic, 9 June 2026

The Sheep’s Head Way sits on one of southwest Ireland’s most spindly peninsulas — just 19 kilometers long and 5 kilometers wide, yet packing 150 kilometers of hill walks inside it. —Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 4 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Kids Definition

spindly

adjective

spin·​dly ˈspin-(d)lē 

-dᵊl-ē

spindlier; spindliest

: of a tall or long and thin appearance that often suggests physical weakness

spindly legs