1
as in unsubstantial
being of a material lacking in sturdiness or substance
a flimsy scarf that was more for decoration than for warmth
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in unlikely
not likely to be true or to occur
"The check is in the mail" is a pretty flimsy and tired excuse
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flimsy
This crewneck is soft without being sloppy, breathable without feeling flimsy, and easy to layer under a cardigan or wrap.
—
Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2026
Many of my favorite meals have been eaten at rickety tables, with tissue-thin paper napkins, flimsy plastic forks, and not so much as a whisper of air-conditioning.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
Gone are the flimsy cardboard bed frames of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, held during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Just like flimsy wire and plastic hangers have no place in your closet, neither do bulky ones.
—Abbie Harrison, Martha Stewart, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flimsy
Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 16 Feb. 2026
Many of my favorite meals have been eaten at rickety tables, with tissue-thin paper napkins, flimsy plastic forks, and not so much as a whisper of air-conditioning.
—Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 14 Feb. 2026
Gone are the flimsy cardboard bed frames of the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, held during the COVID-19 pandemic.
—Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
Just like flimsy wire and plastic hangers have no place in your closet, neither do bulky ones.
—Abbie Harrison, Martha Stewart, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flimsy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flimsy
Adjective
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This can alter the amount and types of ACE-inhibiting peptides created during fermentation2—and possibly account for kombucha's unsubstantial effect on blood pressure.—
MD Published,
Verywell Health,
27 Dec. 2025
-
Then again … This really does sum up Reeves’s unsubstantial performance as Jonathan Harker, whose new client is definitely up to no good.—
Tim Grierson,
Vulture,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Thorn’s more famous namesake, former Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern, recently became the unlikely face of this exodus.—
Laura Sharman,
CNN Money,
7 Mar. 2026
-
Armed with lanterns, loyalty, and very little logic, these unlikely heroes blunder their way to a happy conclusion for all.—
Cincinnati Enquirer,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Scarlet’s good intentions to end wars by way of sheer determination to do what’s right might prove insubstantial in practice.—
Carlos Aguilar,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Oliver Rackham, the great historian of the British countryside, devoted a not insubstantial portion of his career to rebutting this claim, noting that there is no evidence whatsoever to suggest that these punishments were ever carried out.—
Rosa Lyster,
Harpers Magazine,
30 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Global art markets saw modest growth in 2025 after two years of decline — but the recovery is partial and fragile.—
Tom Chivers,
semafor.com,
12 Mar. 2026
-
That is the sign of a team that is ready to combust, which has fragile confidence.—
Jay Harris,
New York Times,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The type of memory flashbacks that are shot at knee level, gauzy and out of focus, with a gossamer visual touch to conjure whispering, buried emotions of the past.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
17 Feb. 2026
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Perverts By turns a budding chart sensation, a political firebrand, and an enthusiastic cataloguer of cryptids, Ethel Cain interrupts a stream of gossamer pop, folk, and rock records with Perverts, a droning rejection of the accessibility of her 2022 Billboard top-ten debut Preacher’s Daughter.—
Craig Jenkins,
Vulture,
2 Dec. 2025
Adjective
-
Looking like an early aughts version of her mom, the model posed for a watery photo shoot in a sleeveless chiffon shift dress, as well as a a gauzy white sundress with spaghetti straps and lace trim.—
Chanel Vargas,
InStyle,
5 Mar. 2026
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Fans of Raising Hare, a memoir by Chloe Dalton that takes place in the English countryside, will be enamoured by the Urban Outfitters Bunny Toile duvet cover with an adorable storyline of the critters printed on the gauzy cotton.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
4 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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In the end, his sheer inattention to your pleasure was what made the decision for you.—
Addie Citchens,
New Yorker,
8 Mar. 2026
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Much of the buildout is being paid for with operating cash flows, but the sheer magnitude of the spending has prompted companies to shake up the calculus by bridging the gap between capex and free cash flow with bonds.—
Amanda Gerut,
Fortune,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Because of its delicate nature, a special crate has to be built for its transport.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
13 Mar. 2026
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The approach could help prevent both the robot and the satellite from spinning or drifting during delicate repairs.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flimsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flimsy. Accessed 13 Mar. 2026.
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