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
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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
-
The Ravens are thin there, with rookie third-round tackle Emery Jones Jr. still yet to make his summer debut because of a shoulder injury and potentially starting the regular season on the non-football injury list.—
Jeff Zrebiec,
New York Times,
17 Aug. 2025
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Details on the election process are thin, but many citizens could be casting their votes in an active conflict zone or under the eyes of armed soldiers – a terrifying prospect that some say could lead to more violence.—
Helen Regan,
CNN Money,
17 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
What might more readily bring about a crisis of identity than the physical alteration of the body, the change from bearer of life to barren woman?—
Hillary Kelly,
The Atlantic,
5 Aug. 2025
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Most of those barren years came before a current regime that has taken English cricket to new highs of attacking intent.—
Tim Ellis,
Forbes.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Istanbul pulses with history—its skyline crowned with slender minarets, grand domes, and bustling bazaars filled with copperware, carpets, and the scent of roasted chestnuts.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Ware brought along a friend, a slender man introduced as Catfish who had his own land management problems.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
In Namibia, Shipwreck Lodge in the desolate Skeleton Coast National Park and the secluded Hoanib Valley Camp are oases of luxury in otherworldly settings.—
Erina Pinar,
Travel + Leisure,
7 Aug. 2025
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The Emperor Titus attempted but failed to revive Pompeii and its sibling town Herculaneum soon after the catastrophe, leaving the desolate region largely abandoned until its rediscovery in 1748.—
Andrew Paul Aug 7,
Popular Science,
7 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
This isn’t about fat or skinny, this is about being healthy.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
18 Aug. 2025
-
It's got bar-end indicators perfect for skinny folk to be seen from behind and for the rest of us to be easily seen from the front.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
The general manager, making a rare road trip, told reporters that his presence had more to do with his scheduling availability than the Yankees’ third-place standing or their poor play over the past two-plus months.—
Gary Phillips,
New York Daily News,
16 Aug. 2025
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Additionally, over-saturating with water is a poor choice for these floors.—
Daley Quinn,
Southern Living,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Flank, round, or brisket: These lean cuts are flavorful but can become chewy without tenderizing.—
Katie Rosenhouse,
Southern Living,
13 Aug. 2025
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There aren’t many actors, after all, who can convincingly play both sad-sack real estate salesman Shelly Levene in a Broadway production of Glengarry Glen Ross and a lean, mean killing machine.—
Frank Scheck,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Directed by Paul Schrader with a script by Bret Easton Ellis, this spiritually bleak L.A. drama features Lohan’s most daring performance, and probably the only one that manages to break completely with her childhood and adolescent roles.—
Tom Gliatto,
People.com,
9 Aug. 2025
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The situation is bleak enough that, even if aid increases rapidly in the coming weeks, deaths from starvation are almost certain to rise.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
5 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Bony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bony. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
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