variants
also boney
1
as in thin
having a noticeably small amount of body fat
that bony old horse may have been deliberately starved
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation
bony hills from which sheepherders eked out a meager existence
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of bony
Riders follow the instructions of Redbeard (given via onboard audio), which include finding and counting gems along the shore, looking out for bony opponents in Skeleton Valley and participating in a seaworthy singalong near the finale.
—
Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2023
Santiago Calatrava is best known for bridges that leap and budgets that soar, for vast and bony white-steel structures that evoke high-tech ruins of the future and cause fiscal ruin in the present.
—Curbed, 6 Dec. 2022
Its bony head armor was more like that of Asian ankyloaurs than ones from North America.
—Eric Betz, Discover Magazine, 19 July 2018
There are two types of fish, cartilaginous and bony.
—Orlando Mayorquin, USA TODAY, 21 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for bony
Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2023
Santiago Calatrava is best known for bridges that leap and budgets that soar, for vast and bony white-steel structures that evoke high-tech ruins of the future and cause fiscal ruin in the present.
—Curbed, 6 Dec. 2022
Its bony head armor was more like that of Asian ankyloaurs than ones from North America.
—Eric Betz, Discover Magazine, 19 July 2018
There are two types of fish, cartilaginous and bony.
—Orlando Mayorquin, USA TODAY, 21 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for bony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bony
Adjective
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The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
13 May 2025
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The new device measures in at 5.8mm, which Samsung claims is its thinnest ever Galaxy S smartphone.—
Janhoi McGregor,
Forbes.com,
13 May 2025
Adjective
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In the early 1900s, Jennie Butchart transformed the scarred land of a barren limestone quarry into a lush retreat, proving nature’s resilience.—
Cheryl Russell,
Oc Register,
11 May 2025
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The inky ocean depths are often assumed to be barren, but this is a myth, said Adrian Glover, a deep-sea ocean scientist at the UK’s Natural History Museum.—
Laura Paddison,
CNN Money,
8 May 2025
Adjective
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The animals have longer beaks, a more slender build and more distinctive dorsal fins than common bottlenose dolphins, according to Whale and Dolphin Conservation, a nonprofit.—
Brendan Rascius,
Miami Herald,
8 May 2025
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According to the Mayo Clinic, the disease begins in the slender tubes that carry digestive bile and is associated with symptoms like abdominal pain, fatigue, fever and night sweats.—
Jordan Greene,
People.com,
2 May 2025
Adjective
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A lot of people have this idea of the north as being cold and desolate, and maybe people, once upon a time, lived up there, but don't anymore.—
Dana Feldman,
Forbes.com,
22 Apr. 2025
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The Memphis rapper began the show with dramatics, rising on a giant platform with her back to the audience as a screen behind her projected the image of a desolate street.—
John Lonsdale,
Rolling Stone,
12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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She was dressed for vacation in a sheer white long sleeve mini dress and slides, while the realtor wore a casual travel-day combo of skinny jeans, a white t-shirt and sneakers.—
Natalia Senanayake,
People.com,
13 May 2025
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Ball is too inattentive on that end despite his impressive offensive skill set, and Miller is quite skinny and struggles to wall up on opposing guards and wings through his core.—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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Mikal Bridges and Karl-Anthony Towns each added 23 points and OG Anunoby bounced back from two poor performances by scoring 20 for the Knicks, who can win the series Wednesday night at Boston.—
Brian Mahoney,
Baltimore Sun,
13 May 2025
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Boston built big second-half leads on New York in both Games 1 and 2 at home, but squandered them due to uncharacteristically poor 3-point shooting.—
Tyler Everett,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 May 2025
Adjective
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Though Malkmus has maintained much of his lean, boyish West Coast cool, even edging toward late middle age, the quintet looks older and wiser, no longer burdened by their uncomfortable relationship with success.—
Scott Tobias,
Los Angeles Times,
9 May 2025
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When looking for lean poultry, opt for boneless, skinless chicken breasts and turkey cutlets.7 5.—
Sohaib Imtiaz,
Verywell Health,
9 May 2025
Adjective
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The latest Email Threat Trends Report from VIPRE paints a bleak picture.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
20 May 2025
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Related article Putin just called Trump’s bluff on Ukraine, with the Russian art of the ‘no’ deal Ukraine in 2025 is a bleak prospect.—
Nick Paton Walsh,
CNN Money,
19 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bony. Accessed 23 May. 2025.
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