skinny

adjective

skin·ny | \ ˈski-nē

skinnier; skinniest

Definition of skinny

(Entry 1 of 2)

1 : resembling skin : membranous

2a : lacking sufficient flesh : very thin : emaciated

b : lacking usual or desirable bulk, quantity, qualities, or significance

3 of clothes : fitting very close to the body : very tight skinny jeans

4 : made with skim milk a skinny latte

skinny

noun

Definition of skinny (Entry 2 of 2)

slang

: inside information : dope the straight skinny on what's going on— John Geary

Other Words from skinny Synonyms & Antonyms Choose the Right Synonym More Example Sentences Learn More about skinny

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Synonyms & Antonyms for skinny

Synonyms: Adjective

fine, hairline, narrow, needlelike, paper-thin, slender, slim, slim-jim, thin, ultrathin

Synonyms: Noun

411 [slang], book, dope, inside, lowdown, poop [slang], scoop, tip

Antonyms: Adjective

broad, fat, wide

Choose the Right Synonym for skinny

Adjective

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 skinny in a Sentence

Adjective

the tree swing was supported only by a couple of skinny branches her grandmother was always insisting that she was too skinny and never tired of trying to force more food on her

Noun

a TV show that offers all the skinny on Tinseltown and the stars that light it up

Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective

Twenty-five-year-old Corinne was all smiles beside them wearing an all-black outfit with dark skinny jeans and ankle boots. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Katie Holmes and Jamie Foxx Had a Rare PDA Moment on an Outing with His Daughter," 11 Apr. 2019 Corridor: Cerulean-blue linen button-up ($198); slightly faded herringbone khaki chinos ($195); a skinny, polka-dot, handmade-in-Brooklyn tie ($75). 2. — Katy Schneider, The Cut, "16 Gift Ideas for Moms, Dads, and Discerning Grads," 29 Apr. 2018 There's a story from Zlatan Ibrahimovic's childhood that goes a long way toward explaining how a skinny, awkward boy would go on to become one of the best soccer players of his generation. — Kevin Baxter, latimes.com, "How a difficult childhood helped create Zlatan Ibrahimovic the soccer god," 8 Apr. 2018 Skinny Jeans + Big Sneakers The easiest way to play up your favorite pair of skinny jeans? — Avery Matera, Glamour, "The Exact Shoes to Wear With Every Pair of Jeans You Own," 4 Apr. 2019 See the bright green corduroy suit; the angora vest and skinny red scarf; the A-line mini with the white patent knee boot. — Vogue, "That Soft ’70s Style! Shop the Season’s Grooviest Trend," 1 Apr. 2019 To clear the drinking hose, tie knots along a skinny piece of twine or string and pull through the hose. — James Lynch, Popular Mechanics, "Best Hydration Packs to Keep You Going on Your Next Adventure," 28 Mar. 2019 Appearing at a news conference Friday outside NFL headquarters in Manhattan, Rosa told reporters that she was constantly berated last season and threatened with dismissal for not being skinny enough. — CBS News, "6th ex-NFL cheerleader joins lawsuit against Houston Texans," 23 June 2018 The windows are tall and skinny, often rounded at the top, and there is trim, trim, and more trim. — Maggie Burch, House Beautiful, "Everything You Need To Know About Victorian Homes," 6 Nov. 2018

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun

The skinny: Barbecue and country music go hand in hand in the summer. — Hannah Steinkopf-frank, RedEye Chicago, "Chicago festivals this week: Southport Arts Festival, Chinatown Summer Fair, Rhythm World," 11 July 2018 The skinny: Mexico goes to Russia with the best team in its history, one thick with talent, experience and 13 players off the rosters of top European clubs. — Kevin Baxter, latimes.com, "Injuries leave questions for Germany, Mexico in World Cup Group F qualifying," 9 June 2018 Some are short, some are tall, some are skinny, some are voluptuous, everything. — Tiffany Dodson, SELF, "Sofía Vergara Just Launched a Denim Line in Sizes 0 through 20—and Everything Is $40 and Under," 6 Feb. 2019 Shop the look: Iro Ava Boots, $1,090 $763, Shopbop Here's a winter outfit formula that never, ever fails: a striped sweater plus light-wash skinny jeans plus black suede boots. — Avery Matera, Glamour, "17 Ways to Wear Thigh-High Boots This Winter," 11 Jan. 2019 The skinny: Bryant played quarterback only as a senior, completing 218-of-312 passes for 3,121 yards with 29 touchdowns and only four interceptions. — AL.com, "Who's the best Mr. Football? Ranking all winners since award's inception in 1982," 14 Jan. 2018 Ensemble number two was similarly tux-inspired, but featured wide leg pants and an embellished skinny tie. — Erica Gonzales, Harper's BAZAAR, "Billy Porter Slays in a Christian Siriano Tuxedo Dress on the Oscars Red Carpet," 24 Feb. 2019 When: July 6-8 Where: Near West Side How much: $10-$169 The skinny: Enjoy reggae, gospel, R&B, blues, jazz and rock music and browse some 200 vendors. — Hannah Steinkopf-frank, RedEye Chicago, "Chicago festivals this week: Taste of Chicago, Millennium Art Festival, Live on Lincoln," 3 July 2018 So, forget about the screen measurement—you've probably never held a smartphone this skinny. — Ron Amadeo, Ars Technica, "Palm Phone Review: Fun, endearing, and bad at everything," 1 Dec. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'skinny.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.