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
Batibou Beach is a long, wide crescent of golden sand partially shaded by spindly palm trees ($5 entry, cash only).
—
Kristin Braswell, AFAR Media, 14 Aug. 2025
Her long, spindly body operates in an anticipatory arch, her body gliding across the pitch in long, laboured strides until igniting into a blur, a combination of ferocity and grace.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 6 July 2025
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
The stilettos were pared back to their essentials — a thin strap at the toes, squared sole and a high heel balanced on a spindly stem.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for spindly
Kristin Braswell, AFAR Media, 14 Aug. 2025
Her long, spindly body operates in an anticipatory arch, her body gliding across the pitch in long, laboured strides until igniting into a blur, a combination of ferocity and grace.
—Megan Feringa, New York Times, 6 July 2025
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
The stilettos were pared back to their essentials — a thin strap at the toes, squared sole and a high heel balanced on a spindly stem.
—Maggie Clancy, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2019
See All Example Sentences for spindly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spindly
Adjective
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And in a third, the gaunt 30-year-old killer flexes, purses his lips and squints.—
Michael Ruiz,
FOXNews.com,
10 Sep. 2025
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The apparently recent footage showed two hostages -- Guy Gilboa-Dalal and Alon Ohel -- looking gaunt and exhausted while being driven around Gaza City.—
WAFAA SHURAFA,
Arkansas Online,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Struggling to put on a pair of tight skinny jeans has become a thing of the past.—
Melody Kazel,
PEOPLE,
14 Sep. 2025
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On a first-and-10 from the UC 34-yard line, Arnold took a shotgun snap and hit receiver Sean Lander on a skinny post for a 34-yard touchdown.—
Clark Fahrenthold,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
13 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Summer pruning helps remove lanky growth and improve airflow to discourage disease and pests.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
11 Sep. 2025
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Cut back stems that are long and lanky both to improve their appearance and to encourage fresh growth and possibly more flowers.—
Megan Hughes,
Better Homes & Gardens,
10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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Leaders who pay attention to these lessons now will be best prepared to thrive in a world where the boundaries between Earth and orbit are becoming ever thinner.—
Bernard Marr,
Forbes.com,
12 Sep. 2025
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The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
11 Sep. 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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Between them, the gangly mods kept alive the fading tradition of feuding musical geniuses, a path that Paul McCartney and John Lennon had paved before them.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 Aug. 2025
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Indeed, at 6-foot-5 but hiding it under a gangly posture, the Australian star can seem younger than his 28 years.—
Brent Lang,
Variety,
20 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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This further shrank the already slender Republican House majority.—
W. James Antle III,
The Washington Examiner,
12 Sep. 2025
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There are several superstar cameos, and they’re nicely integrated into the movie’s slender plot.—
Stephanie Zacharek,
Time,
11 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spindly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spindly. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
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