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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of flimsy
It’s not calculated to put anxious writers’ minds at rest—most of us already live in fear that our flimsy characters will be exposed through our work.
—
David O’Neill, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
Meanwhile, photographs of crew members while still on the ship show many of them hanging around together in a hallway while waiting to be interviewed by health authorities, covering their mouths and noses with only flimsy masks.
—Zeynep Tufekci, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
While both work well for providing support to your plant, cages tend to be flimsier than stakes.
—Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 17 May 2026
But these and other thematic threads lack both definition and emotional heft, making the movie feel flimsy, especially considering its two-hours-plus run time.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flimsy
David O’Neill, New Yorker, 20 May 2026
Meanwhile, photographs of crew members while still on the ship show many of them hanging around together in a hallway while waiting to be interviewed by health authorities, covering their mouths and noses with only flimsy masks.
—Zeynep Tufekci, Mercury News, 20 May 2026
While both work well for providing support to your plant, cages tend to be flimsier than stakes.
—Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 17 May 2026
But these and other thematic threads lack both definition and emotional heft, making the movie feel flimsy, especially considering its two-hours-plus run time.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for flimsy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for flimsy
Adjective
-
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
-
Getting warships into the water is hard enough without wasting funds on vessels unlikely ever to sail.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
Like any great artist, Grohl is a product of her surroundings, and that can’t help but include a very specific, unlikely upbringing.—
Rachel Brodsky,
Los Angeles Times,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
But too few of those ideas yield satisfying conclusions, resulting in a drama that becomes treacly and insubstantial, reaching for a profundity that remains elusive.—
David Rooney,
HollywoodReporter,
16 May 2026
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The wall was as insubstantial as a set on a film studio’s back lot.—
Rebecca Mead,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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In fact, oil and gasoline futures both rebounded on Thursday as new fighting in the Middle East underscores the fragile nature of the ceasefire.—
Kevin Liptak,
CNN Money,
28 May 2026
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Generating a test, refactoring a fragile selector or maintaining a test suite are the kinds of tasks where AI coding shines.—
Ethan Pronev,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Adjective
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But a gossamer jacket tossed over a swimsuit on a breezy evening?—
Jennifer Noyes,
Air Mail,
25 Apr. 2026
-
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
Adjective
-
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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But moving Cale just to stay in that neighborhood would be sheer Looney Tunes.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
31 May 2026
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The NikeCourt dress features a black, lightweight semi-sheer dress layered over a crimson tank and is currently sold out.—
Merlisa Lawrence Corbett,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
Adjective
-
Soursop is a delicate fruit, so it should be handled with care.—
Kirsten Nunez,
Martha Stewart,
28 May 2026
-
Old Grand‑Dad 114 and Redemption push hard into spice, while Four Roses Single Barrel and Small Batch show how yeast and blending can turn the same basic ingredients into something perfumed and almost delicate.—
Joseph V Micallef,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Flimsy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/flimsy. Accessed 5 Jun. 2026.
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