spindly

adjective spin·dly \ ˈspin(d)-lē , ˈspin-dᵊl-ē \

Updated on: 22 Apr 2018

Definition of spindly

spindlier; spindliest

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 of spindly from the Web

After all, the teen had done it several times before – find a tall spindly tree, shimmy up until the tree bent under his weight and swing himself as the arcing branch lowered him to the ground below.

— shari rudavsky, Indianapolis Star, "Doctors at Riley thought boy might never walk again. He surprised them.," 13 Apr. 2018
Proggy and pointed, the track ruptured into its most excellent, most potent form live, with spindly, piercing guitars and rumbling vocals.

— britt julious, chicagotribune.com, "Lucy Dacus brings 'Historian' to vibrant life at the Empty Bottle," 7 Apr. 2018
Specifically, Tucci is keen to provide a look at his subject’s deeply self-critical nature, a trait that defined him as much as his signature spindly figures.

— tom russo, BostonGlobe.com, "Striking a pose for Giacometti," 4 Apr. 2018
When the spindly newbie nicknamed Noodles began wearing down against older teammates in practice, Villanova’s coaches approached Bridges with an idea: Sit out the season as a redshirt to beef up.

— dan greene, SI.com, "Villanova's Dominance Proves the Power of a Well-Built Program," 3 Apr. 2018
Move spindly plants to the patio for warm season rejuvenation.

— tom maccubbin, OrlandoSentinel.com, "April in the garden," 31 Mar. 2018
Gemini opens with an upside-down image of palm trees, silhouetted against the L.A. night sky and hanging from the top of the frame like portentous, spindly bats.

— david sims, The Atlantic, "Gemini Is a Low-Key L.A. Murder Mystery," 30 Mar. 2018
Clark is tall and spindly and moves in a hoppy, twitchy way, like a shorebird.

— naomi fry, The New Yorker, "The Mind-Expanding Ideas of Andy Clark," 26 Mar. 2018
Firestarter The invaders first enter the island as explorers, represented by spindly little miniatures armed with flags and conquistador helmets.

— aaron zimmerman, Ars Technica, "Spirit Island review: Finally, an anti-colonialist board game," 24 Mar. 2018

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.