lanky

adjective

ˈlaŋ-kē 

lankier; lankiest

: ungracefully tall and thin

lankily

ˈlaŋ-kə-lē 

adverb

lankiness

ˈlaŋ-kē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms of lanky

• gaunt
• skinny
• spindly
• gangling
• rangy
• thin
• gangly
• slender

Choose the Right Synonym for lanky

lean, spare, lank, lanky, gaunt, rawboned, scrawny, skinny mean thin because of an absence of excess flesh.

lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken

skinny street urchins

Examples of lanky in a Sentence

the lanky basketball star was great at slam-dunking

Recent Examples on the Web

And his lanky build combined with agility can draw plenty of fouls. — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026

Sinner, a lanky twenty-four-year-old Italian with red hair, sharp elbows, and ground strokes like shotgun blasts, had won thirty consecutive matches and was the overwhelming favorite. — Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

Douglas, who is speedy, lanky and athletic at 6 foot 4, 205 pounds, can be tough to defend. — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026

At one point something about the way the sculpture is perched atop Roth’s lanky frame is deemed extraterrestrial. — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1818, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lanky

• cranky
• hanky
• yankee

Kids Definition

lanky

adjective

ˈlaŋ-kē 

lankier; lankiest

: being tall, thin, and usually loose-jointed

a lanky teenager

lankily

-kə-lē 

adverb

lankiness

-kē-nəs 

noun