flesh

1 of 2

noun

ˈflesh 

1

a

: the soft parts of the body of an animal and especially of a vertebrate

especially : the parts composed chiefly of skeletal muscle as distinguished from internal organs, bone, and integument

b

: the condition of having ample fat on the body

cattle in good flesh

c

: skin

… exposing their flesh to the sun.

—Lauren Groff

That movie made my flesh crawl.

2

a

: edible parts of an animal

b

: flesh of a mammal or fowl eaten as food

3

a

: the physical nature of human beings

… the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak.

—Matthew 26:41 (King James Version)

b

: human nature

… to plead the limitations of the flesh …

—Upton Sinclair

4

a

: human beings : humankind

While politicians and multinational corporations extol the virtues of … "free trade" (in goods, not flesh) …

—Leslie Marmon Silko

b

: animal life

And God said unto Noah, The end of all flesh is come before me …

—Genesis 6:13 (King James Version)

c

: stock, kindred

flesh of my flesh

5

: a fleshy plant part used as food

also : the fleshy part of a fruit

6

Christian Science : an illusion that matter has sensation

7

: facts or details that provide substance to something

Her careful documentation puts the necessary flesh on much that has been merely speculation …

—John H. Crook

flesh

2 of 2

verb

fleshed; fleshing; fleshes

transitive verb

1

a

: to clothe or cover with or as if with flesh

broadly : to give substance to

—usually used with out

flesh out a plan

has fleshed out a formerly two-dimensional character

b

: to make fuller or more nearly complete

—used with out

museums fleshing out their collections with borrowed works

2

: to free from flesh

3

: to initiate or habituate especially by giving a foretaste

4

archaic : gratify

intransitive verb

1

: to become fleshy

—often used with up or out

cattle that is fleshed out

2

: to develop a more muscular physique

—often used with out

Phrases

in the flesh

: in person and alive

Synonyms of flesh

Noun

• meat

Verb

• develop
• expand
• supplement
• elaborate (on)
• enlarge (on or upon)
• add (to)
• dilate (on or upon)

Examples of flesh in a Sentence

Noun

the flabby white flesh of his belly

a disease that causes sores on the flesh

Verb

a lengthy follow-up that fleshes out the original report on the military engagement

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Its orange flesh has a sweet and nutty flavor and is packed with fiber and other nutrients. —Jillian Kubala, Health, 21 Nov. 2025

Soaring on a broomstick over the Emerald City, Elphaba Thropp (Cynthia Erivo)—green of flesh, pointy of hat, unfailingly pure of heart—ascended to the peak of her magical powers and struck fear into her enemies. —Justin Chang, New Yorker, 20 Nov. 2025

Verb

Jonathan Banks is Nile’s aptly grumpy father doing a decent Logan Roy impression (without enough care or specifics to flesh him out). —Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Nov. 2025

Esmail seems too enamored of his own (tiresome) visions of Nifty Things That Might Happen During an Apocalypse to actually bother fleshing any of these characters out. —Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle English, from Old English flǣsc; akin to Old High German fleisk flesh and perhaps to Old English flēan to flay — more at flay

First Known Use

Noun

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1530, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 3

Phrases Containing flesh

• a thorn in the/someone's flesh/side
• flesh and blood
• flesh-colored
• flesh-eating
• flesh-eating bacterium
• flesh-eating disease
• flesh fly
• flesh out
• flesh-pressing
• flesh wound
• go the way of all flesh
• make someone's flesh crawl/creep
• make someone's skin/flesh crawl
• make someone's skin/flesh creep
• pound of flesh
• press the flesh
• proud flesh
• the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak

Rhymes for flesh

• creche
• fresh
• lesch
• mesh
• resh
• thresh
• afresh
• horseflesh
• refresh
• gilgamesh

Kids Definition

flesh

1 of 2 noun

ˈflesh 

1

a

: the soft parts of the body of an animal and especially the muscular parts

b

: sleek plump condition of body

cattle in good flesh

2

: parts of an animal used as food

3

: the physical being of a person as distinguished from the soul

4

: a fleshy plant part (as the pulp of a fruit)

fleshed

ˈflesht

adjective

flesh

2 of 2 verb

: to make more complete by adding details

flesh out a story

Medical Definition

flesh

noun

ˈflesh 

: the soft parts of the body of an animal and especially of a vertebrate

especially : the parts composed chiefly of skeletal muscle as distinguished from visceral structures, bone, and integuments see goose bumps, proud flesh

fleshed

ˈflesht 

adjective