spindly

spin·dly | \ ˈspin(d)-lē

How to pronounce spindly (audio)

, ˈspin-dᵊl-ē \

spindlier; spindliest

Definition of spindly

1 : of a disproportionately tall or long and thin appearance that often suggests physical weakness spindly legs

2 : frail or flimsy in appearance or structure a spindly tower

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Examples of spindly in a Sentence

spindly, underfed dogs roamed the poverty-stricken village

Recent Examples on the Web The spindly typical had caught his attention the previous season—maybe a 3-1⁄2-year-old in 2014. — The Editors, Field & Stream, "The 20 Best Bucks of the Decade," 27 Dec. 2019 Sometimes presented in accordion-fold books, the variations here stretch across a wall that holds eight versions of a spindly tree and 16 of a beached fish. — Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, "In the galleries: ‘Time Capsule’ retrospective highlights jazz’s influence on Frank Stewart," 20 Dec. 2019 But their bases were rimmed by shallow, spindly roots which probably lived only a year or two before the trees replaced them—nothing like the vast network supporting their Archaeopteris relatives. — Katherine J. Wu, Smithsonian, "The World’s Oldest Forest Has 385-Million-Year-Old Tree Roots," 20 Dec. 2019 Artificial trees are mighty tempting: no spindly needles to vacuum, no need to water incessantly. — Jennifer Leman, Popular Mechanics, "Let's Have Some Fun and Calculate the Carbon Footprint of Christmas," 19 Dec. 2019 On the wall of a cave in Indonesia, a humanoid figure with arms connected to a long, spindly object hovers over the head of a warty pig. — Babak Tafreshi, National Geographic, "How do you re-create a prehistoric monster?," 18 Dec. 2019 The big skies, evening light, and spindly branches outside the retreat center’s windows reminded me of walking my dog in our wooded St. Louis neighborhood after school as a kid—alone, except for a terrier and the stars flickering to life. — Jenni Avins, Quartz, "A spiritual retreat actually transformed me," 28 Nov. 2019 Where trunks should be thickening, spindly sticks poke the air, a handful of leaves sprouting from their tops. — Jessica Wapner, Quartz, "Vietnamese women are hit harder by climate change—but they’re starting to fight back," 1 Dec. 2019 Come this June, however, visitors will encounter a jarring sight amid the bustling park: a tall grove of spindly dead cedar trees. — Brigit Katz, Smithsonian, "A ‘Ghost Forest’ Destroyed by Hurricane Sandy Will Be Resurrected in New York," 13 Nov. 2019

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

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Last Updated

13 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Spindly.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spindly. Accessed 19 January 2020.

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