wiry

1 of 2

adjective

ˈwī(-ə)r-ē 

wirier ˈwī-rē-ər  ; wiriest

1

a

archaic : made of wire

b

: resembling wire especially in form and flexibility

the wiry coat of the schnauzer

wiry stems

c

of sound : produced by or suggestive of the vibration of wire

The violist … often let his tone go nasal and wiry.

—D. J. Henahan

2

: being lean, supple, and vigorous : sinewy

… the wiry figure of a long distance runner.

—Phoenix Flame

wirily

ˈwī-rə-lē 

adverb

wiriness

ˈwī-rē-nəs 

noun

wiriness

2 of 2

noun

wir·​i·​ness -rēnə̇s 

-rin-

plural -es

: the quality or state of being wiry

Examples of wiry in a Sentence

Adjective

a man with long, wiry arms

She was lean and wiry from years of working out.

He has dark, wiry hair.

Recent Examples on the Web

Adjective

Nick Boyd, guard, 6-1, Wisconsin A wiry guard who, like Saunders above, is already 25 years old, Boyd’s stat profile doesn’t jump off the page. — John Hollinger, New York Times, 20 June 2026

Those themes are compelling on paper, but they’re expressed through a confusing mix of abstraction and hyper-local specificity, hidden beneath biker rock riffs, and obscured through Allbrook’s wiry, wailing vocal delivery. — Cassidy Sollazzo, Pitchfork, 19 June 2026

In this rendition, the diabolical duo of Todd and Lovett are younger, more wiry, more tightly wound and thus more dangerous. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 June 2026

Chapin, the mechanic on the Shawmut crew, was a wiry 6-footer with a winking sense of humor and a penchant for machine-shop patter peppered with gleeful profanity, a likable 26-year-old who’d been a reliable factory hand and test driver before the fire. — Eric Moskowitz, The Atlantic, 31 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Adjective

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for wiry

• expiry
• inquiry

Kids Definition

wiry

adjective

ˈwī(ə)r-ē 

wirier ˈwī-rē-ər  ; wiriest

1

: resembling wire in form and flexibility

wiry stems

2

: being slender yet strong and muscular

a wiry physique