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
The interior common door [had been] flimsy and not very soundproof.
—
Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2026
As of February 2026, only a flimsy white banner atop the restaurant’s door declared its new name.
—Aviva Bechky, Houston Chronicle, 26 Mar. 2026
To combat this, check for flimsy frames, loose hinges, or weak nose pads.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 26 Mar. 2026
Campbell, who ordinarily would represent DiZoglio in court to compel the Legislature to comply, has refused to do so on the flimsy excuse that DiZoglio has not provided needed information.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 23 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for flimsy
Kelly McGreal, FOXNews.com, 30 Mar. 2026
As of February 2026, only a flimsy white banner atop the restaurant’s door declared its new name.
—Aviva Bechky, Houston Chronicle, 26 Mar. 2026
To combat this, check for flimsy frames, loose hinges, or weak nose pads.
—Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 26 Mar. 2026
Campbell, who ordinarily would represent DiZoglio in court to compel the Legislature to comply, has refused to do so on the flimsy excuse that DiZoglio has not provided needed information.
—Peter Lucas, Boston Herald, 23 Mar. 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
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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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An evolving cross-cultural icon For Nakamachi, seeing how fortune cookies evolved into an unlikely cultural icon in a foreign land is inspiring.—
CNN.com Wire Service,
Mercury News,
10 Apr. 2026
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The magazine’s second editor was nonetheless a Gernsback ally, the unlikely electrical engineer and former editor of Scientific American Thomas O’Connor Sloane.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Even with her strong work, the film around her always feels, at best, insubstantial, and, at worst, incomplete.—
Chase Hutchinson,
IndieWire,
19 Mar. 2026
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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
Adjective
-
The ceasefire is already fragile.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
10 Apr. 2026
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The alignment reflects a transactional relationship in which Washington gains access to strategic resources while Caracas seeks revenue and international legitimacy during a fragile transition.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
9 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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
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After snapping photos of the bride all dressed up in a long gauzy veil and a white halterdress, the reality star—who wore a white sports bra with a white bathrobe tied around her waist—changed into a polarizing skirt set for the ceremony.—
Lara Walsh,
InStyle,
1 Apr. 2026
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The gauzy texture is made from organic cotton, and the decorative pillow shams have a highly dimensional stitching.—
Julia Harrison,
Architectural Digest,
20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Lahav black ballgown with sheer black veil and beaded appliqués throughout.—
Alex Apatoff,
PEOPLE,
11 Apr. 2026
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And the sheer scale is unprecedented.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Plus, their delicate hardware delivers an extra element of style.—
Cheryl Wagemann,
InStyle,
9 Apr. 2026
-
Ideal for delicate loose-leaf brewing (such as gyokuro), each teapot has a small 100-to-200-milliliter capacity that prevents over-steeping and allows for rich infusions, each brew better than the last.—
Abbey Stone,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
9 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flimsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flimsy. Accessed 12 Apr. 2026.
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