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

Instead of letting the lanky, nearly 7-foot Durant corral the loose ball, the 6-3 Smart dove to secure it for himself. —Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026

Voller then spoke of Angel — a lanky star baseball pitcher who, months before the explosion, had finished a perfect 10-0 season for his Stockton charter school. —Joe Rubin, Sacbee.com, 19 Apr. 2026

The Timberwolves could try that with a scrappy guard like DiVincenzo, a lanky athletic wing like McDaniels, or even with veteran forward Kyle Anderson, a buyout acquisition who was also pursued by Denver. —Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 17 Apr. 2026

However, as snake plants get older, their long, slender leaves may start to become lanky and floppy or turn yellow and eventually fall over. —Steve Bender, Southern Living, 13 Apr. 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