skin and bones

idiom

variants or skin and bone
informal
: very thin in a way that is unattractive and unhealthy
After the illness, he was skin and bones.
The starving dog was nothing but skin and bones.

Examples of skin and bones in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Not to mention that when the friends first happen upon the Sawyer family's house of horrors, Pam's discovery of mutilated human remains and furniture made out of skin and bones is reminiscent of the shocking scene unearthed at Gein's home when police searched it. Megan McCluskey, Time, 3 Oct. 2025 Collagen keeps skin and bones firm yet elastic.8 Vitamin C can also help prevent pigmentation (dark spots) caused by ultraviolet light.9 4. Merve Ceylan, Health, 27 Sep. 2025 The phrase ‘skin and bones’ doesn’t do justice to the way her body has been ravaged. Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 30 July 2025 In other cancer models, including brain, skin and bone, the drug was even able to wipe out tumors without the assistance of any other treatment. New Atlas, 18 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for skin and bones

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Skin and bones.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/skin%20and%20bones. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!