bony

adjective

ˈbō-nē How to pronounce bony (audio)
variants also boney
Definition of bonynext
1
as in skinny
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

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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bony
  1. skinny
  2. barren
  3. thin
  4. desolate
  5. slender
  6. impoverished
  7. lean
  8. poor
Adjective
  • Granny jeans are a stylish alternative to skinny jeans and flare jeans.
    — René Chávez Esparza, Glamour, 17 July 2026
  • We're used to seeing the Galaxy Z Fold in a tall-and-skinny chassis, but this time around, whispers are growing louder about a new passport-style shape that's more reminiscent of the first-generation Google Pixel Fold.
    — Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 17 July 2026
Definition of skinny
Adjective
  • The Eye network served as lead broadcaster for the VMAs this year — stripping an already barren MTV of its flagship event.
    — Michael Schneider, Variety, 10 July 2026
  • Wild Orchard Farmstead on Jeju Island exemplifies regenerative organic agriculture, transforming barren land over 25 years into a thriving tea ecosystem.
    — Andrew Watman, Forbes.com, 8 July 2026
Definition of barren
Adjective
  • It is composed of extremely thin layers of iron selenide, or FeSe, which are embedded repeatedly throughout a much larger three-dimensional crystal.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 19 July 2026
  • Those areas are likely be less impressive in the thin air of the vehicle’s namesake town.
    — James Raia, Mercury News, 19 July 2026
Definition of thin
Adjective
  • However desolate Mars may appear from afar, there is certainly no shortage of activity on its surface — or discoveries still waiting to be made.
    — Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 17 July 2026
  • Despite the property damage, the New Jersey meteorite fragments are a rare reminder that asteroids aren’t always desolate, inert rocks.
    — Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 15 July 2026
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • There’s a second wine cellar that will hold an additional 2,000 bottles, and, just beyond the kitchen, an outdoor dining gallery is heated for comfort, with a slender fire feature that runs the length of the table.
    — Tori Latham, Robb Report, 7 July 2026
  • Small and slender, with an average length of about two feet, it is found in the mountainous areas of West Texas.
    — Mateo Rosiles, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of slender
Adjective
  • In his recent memoir, Newsom describes being divided between his life as the son of an impoverished single mother and the surrogate son of a family with billions in oil industry money.
    — Dan Walters, Mercury News, 15 July 2026
  • This British drama series follows a woman named Emma over the course of more than six decades of her life, from the 1900s through the 1970s, working her way from impoverished maid to the world’s richest woman.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 12 July 2026
Definition of impoverished
Adjective
  • Both salmon and lean beef are good options for steady blood sugar after meals.
    — Lindsey DeSoto, Health, 20 July 2026
  • Testosterone therapy may help reduce these symptoms and has been found in clinical trials to help significantly improve libido, anemia, bone density, lean body mass, depression, and erectile function, StatPearls states.
    — Mason Leib, ABC News, 17 July 2026
Definition of lean
Adjective
  • Madrid had a poor 2024-25, failing to win the Spanish title or the Champions League, but Mbappe still scored 42 goals in 44 appearances.
    — Tim Spiers, New York Times, 21 July 2026
  • Using Neanderthal cranium shapes to estimate specific brain regions’ volume, some investigators claimed to see signs of a mind with feeble linguistic abilities, poor executive function and an unremarkable memory.
    — Cody Cottier, Scientific American, 20 July 2026
Definition of poor

Browse Nearby Words

bon voyages
bony
boo
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Cite this Entry

“Bony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bony. Accessed 21 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bony

Nglish: Translation of bony for Spanish Speakers

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