flimsy

1 of 2

adjective

flim·​sy ˈflim-zē How to pronounce flimsy (audio)
flimsier; flimsiest
1
a
: lacking in physical strength or substance
flimsy silks
wore a flimsy dress
b
: of inferior materials and workmanship
flimsy construction
2
: having little worth or plausibility
a flimsy excuse
a movie with a flimsy plot
flimsily adverb
flimsiness noun

flimsy

2 of 2

noun

plural flimsies
chiefly British
: a lightweight paper used especially for multiple copies
also : a document printed on flimsy

Examples of flimsy in a Sentence

Adjective a flimsy piece of material They have only the flimsiest of evidence against him. a movie with a flimsy plot
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Fopp is a little more flimsy, making the compilation feel lopsided. Al Shipley, SPIN, 9 Mar. 2024 But critics from an array of perspectives in the film industry have described the standards as the equivalent of tinsel — flimsy and showy — doing more to gild Hollywood’s image than to help people the movie business has long overlooked. Brooks Barnes, New York Times, 8 Mar. 2024 Not the good Samaritans who start GoFundMe pages for struggling strangers who’ve fallen through our flimsy social safety net or those symbolic citizens representing reproductive freedom, gun control, labor rights and civil rights who were seated with first lady Jill Biden. Robin Givhan, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 The legal guardrails on the PACs are so flimsy that the FEC determined last year that there is no bar on tapping committee money for personal expenses. Paul Pringle, Los Angeles Times, 29 Feb. 2024 The flimsy tail of a North Pacific storm will move ashore in San Diego County late Monday and drop 0.10 to 0.25 inches of rain at the coast and possibly twice as much in the mountains, the National Weather Service said. Gary Robbins, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Feb. 2024 The jerseys of the new uniforms, which were designed by Nike and manufactured by Fanatics, have already drawn criticism from fans for looking cheap, feeling flimsy and having an unattractive design. Cnn.com, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024 And how eating late night tacos in the parking lot, freezing in a flimsy tent in Tennessee, are all part of the 24-hour work day. Cnt Editors, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Feb. 2024 Thinner slices will produce flimsy, soggy sandwiches. Robin Miller, The Arizona Republic, 19 Jan. 2024
Noun
Over the course of the story, John’s mother, Lucille, condemns him over flimsy-at-best evidence, and John’s father, Dan, physically beats him while arguing over the truthfulness of the Bible. Washington Post, 22 Apr. 2022 Few party regulars care to talk about the flimsy to nonexistent ethics that guide their fundraising. Michael Sokolove, The New Republic, 14 Feb. 2022 The Reform’s build quality is an odd mix of flimsy and tank-like. Andrew Cunningham, Ars Technica, 31 Jan. 2022 All of their products, the flimsy and the more substantial, seemed to float by at various levels. Washington Post, 12 Sep. 2021 That’s a lot of money for a toaster, and especially a toaster that looks this flimsy. Erik Kain, Forbes, 18 June 2021 Defense lawyers have criticized evidence against the father and son as flimsy and based on hearsay and speculation. Stephanie Pagones, Fox News, 23 Apr. 2021 Before anyone had a chance to digest the flimsy-at-best basis for many of the pardons, Trump unexpectedly made another announcement. John Cassidy, The New Yorker, 23 Dec. 2020

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'flimsy.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective and Noun

perhaps alteration of film entry 1 + -sy (as in tricksy)

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1702, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun

1814, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of flimsy was circa 1702

Dictionary Entries Near flimsy

Cite this Entry

“Flimsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/flimsy. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

flimsy

adjective
flim·​sy
ˈflim-zē
flimsier; flimsiest
1
: not strong or solid
flimsy clothes
a flimsy old car
2
: not likely or convincing
a flimsy excuse
a movie with a flimsy plot
flimsily
-zə-lē
adverb
flimsiness
-zē-nəs
noun

More from Merriam-Webster on flimsy

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