as in gaunt
being tall, thin and usually loose-jointed
a gangly teenager who was born to play varsity basketball
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gangly
Light pruning results in a gangly, unkempt plant by midsummer.
—
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Apr. 2025
Nate leaps into action-hero mode, and the film’s mayhem blowouts include a multi-weapon melee in a restaurant kitchen, leaving our gangly hero horribly burned but quite chipper about it, since his adversary is less fortunate.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025
The character started as a gangly teenager and has matured into a wise warrior.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 12 Dec. 2024
The plant will continue growing in a gangly, unkept way until it is moved to a location with at least 8 hours of direct sunlight.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gangly
Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 10 Apr. 2025
Nate leaps into action-hero mode, and the film’s mayhem blowouts include a multi-weapon melee in a restaurant kitchen, leaving our gangly hero horribly burned but quite chipper about it, since his adversary is less fortunate.
—Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025
The character started as a gangly teenager and has matured into a wise warrior.
—Kimberly Roots, TVLine, 12 Dec. 2024
The plant will continue growing in a gangly, unkept way until it is moved to a location with at least 8 hours of direct sunlight.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Oct. 2024
See All Example Sentences for gangly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangly
Adjective
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Larry Shapiro, Calgary, Alberta Hamas has no conscience Seeing the sickly, gaunt faces of the three Israeli hostages released by Hamas in Gaza on Feb. 8 presented a clear picture of the loathing and deep hostility their abductors felt for them.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2025
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The body of Jesus hangs like a lifeless, gaunt and emaciated husk.—
Mike Lowenberg,
Twin Cities,
7 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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The long, lanky wing has three blocks, five steals and six offensive rebounds over his 69 minutes of floor time, and he’s scored in double figures twice.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
18 July 2025
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From rotund Oliver Hardy pairing with lanky Stan Laurel to Jack Black becoming our go-to PG party animal, bigger men have always had a place in comedy.—
Alison Willmore,
Vulture,
16 July 2025
Adjective
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Nothing fires up Google’s algorithm quite like talk of the return of skinny jeans, but for fall/winter 2025 designers are conspiring to relaunch another dormant Noughties trend: slouchy boho boots that puddle around the ankles and fold over the calves.—
Emma Spedding,
Vogue,
24 July 2025
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Many have been quick to draw a connective throughline between the revival of trends like skinny jeans and bandage dress with the increasing accessibility of Ozempic and other GLP-1 injectables.—
Leah Dolan,
CNN Money,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Overall, his spindly frame needs some filling out to help in battles, even though he’s shown a willingness to stick his nose into those.—
Steve Conroy,
Boston Herald,
23 June 2025
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Her long, spindly body operates in an anticipatory arch, her body gliding across the pitch in long, laboured strides until igniting into a blur, a combination of ferocity and grace.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
6 July 2025
Adjective
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Michael Giacchino’s excellent and subtly rangy musical score is a big plus.—
Michael Phillips,
Chicago Tribune,
23 July 2025
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Standing seven inches above the Filipino’s 5-foot-5 frame, Barrios, the tallest opponent Pacquiao ever fought, weaponizes his physical gifts with fundamentals like a stiff and rangy jab, a dangerous counter right and meaningful body punches.—
Josh Gross,
Oc Register,
17 July 2025
Adjective
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Light cushioning maximizes comfort and support in the arch of your foot, while keeping its thin profile.—
Lauren Breedlove,
Travel + Leisure,
24 July 2025
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Armstrong provides another veteran depth option to vie for a roster spot in a position group that’s already thin and now ailing.—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
24 July 2025
Adjective
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Lift your hips off the ground and place a block underneath your sacrum, the widest, boniest part of your pelvis.—
Cory Martin,
Verywell Health,
16 Oct. 2024
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Differences in Adult Bones That being said, some adults are bonier than others.—
Sam Walters,
Discover Magazine,
3 Nov. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Gangly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangly. Accessed 3 Aug. 2025.
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