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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of bony
Then stand or sit while bending forward at the waist, pinching the soft part of the nose below the bony portion on both sides for 10 minutes.
—
Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2023
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
There are two types of fish, cartilaginous and bony.
—Orlando Mayorquin, USA TODAY, 21 Oct. 2022
See All Example Sentences for bony
Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2023
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
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
-
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.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
3 Oct. 2025
-
Batteries without the filter lost power quickly, while batteries with the atom-thin filter retained almost all their capacity for more than 150 charge-discharge cycles.—
Sujita Sinha,
Interesting Engineering,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The Giants have Logan Webb and Robbie Ray as their 1-2 punch, but the starting pitching is barren behind them.—
Drew VonScio,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Piazzale Angelo Moratti will no longer appear like a vast docking station for a bleeping spaceship on a barren planet, serviced only by rickety trams and a purple metro line.—
James Horncastle,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Chives Use these slender green leaves well into football season with a fall planting.—
Karen Brewer Grossman,
Southern Living,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Ostrich dinosaurs walked on two long, slender hind legs and had a long neck with a small head, similar to modern ostriches, experts said.—
Lauren Liebhaber
September 22,
Miami Herald,
22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
To find the killer, Sherlock Holmes and Watson will have to brave desolate moors before a family curse dooms the newest heirs.—
Meredith G. White,
AZCentral.com,
1 Oct. 2025
-
With its primary tenant away, the pro stadium here in central Japan was desolate outside.—
Brad Lefton,
New York Times,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
But does Hegseth want the best generals, or just the best skinny ones?—
Benjamin Wallace-Wells,
New Yorker,
5 Oct. 2025
-
Guayabero River knifefish have skinny, elongated bodies reaching just over 7 inches in length, the study said.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Similar protests occurred in Brazil over steep living costs and poor healthcare and education ahead of the country hosting the 2014 World Cup tournament.—
Connor Greene,
Time,
2 Oct. 2025
-
Over time, dysfunctional breathing reinforces poor posture and scapular instability.—
Dana Santas,
CNN Money,
2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
Eating a heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins is one way to mitigate the risk of heart disease.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
1 Oct. 2025
-
Chicken breast is a good source of lean protein.—
Lindsey DeSoto,
Health,
1 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
While there is still a chance that Sanders and Colorado can turn things around, the rest of the season is looking bleak.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Oct. 2025
-
From a bleak job hunt upon her arrival in 2016 to undergoing treatment for her second bout with breast cancer during the uncertainty and fear of COVID, Davis recalls her journey through raw vulnerability and splashes of humor.—
Essence,
Essence,
1 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bony. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share