wiry

adjective

ˈwī(-ə)r-ē 

wirier ˈwī-rē-ər  ; wiriest

1

a

archaic : made of wire

b

: resembling wire especially in form and flexibility

the wiry coat of the schnauzer

wiry stems

c

of sound : produced by or suggestive of the vibration of wire

The violist … often let his tone go nasal and wiry.

—D. J. Henahan

2

: being lean, supple, and vigorous : sinewy

… the wiry figure of a long distance runner.

—Phoenix Flame

wirily

ˈwī-rə-lē 

adverb

wiriness

ˈwī-rē-nəs 

noun

Examples of wiry in a Sentence

a man with long, wiry arms

She was lean and wiry from years of working out.

He has dark, wiry hair.

Recent Examples on the Web

El Dusty, who has a wiry white beard and wore a camouflage-print vest, said, before passing the mike to the Presbyterian seminarian and Democratic candidate for Senate. — Jesús Rodríguez, New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2026

Bajirao had to struggle to use his wiry frame to create a few inches of space within which Gayatri, too, could stand with him in this long line. — Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026

Dieffenbach was a wiry 6-foot-3 receiver preparing for his sophomore season in 2020 when coach Dustin Croick took over the Agoura football program. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 16 Oct. 2026

The stems are thin and wiry, and there are often multiple stems branching near the base. — Nadia Hassani, The Spruce, 9 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for wiry

• expiry
• inquiry

Kids Definition

wiry

adjective

ˈwī(ə)r-ē 

wirier ˈwī-rē-ər  ; wiriest

1

: resembling wire in form and flexibility

wiry stems

2

: being slender yet strong and muscular

a wiry physique