gangly

adjective

ˈgaŋ-glē How to pronounce gangly (audio)
Definition of ganglynext
as in gaunt
being tall, thin and usually loose-jointed a gangly teenager who was born to play varsity basketball

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 gangly In the first half, Jokic was minus-22 when the gangly center was on the court, continuing an alarming trend in the series. — Troy Renck, Denver Post, 24 Apr. 2026 What to know about wood storks These gangly birds are sometimes called flintheads or ironheads because of their distinctive heads and necks. — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026 War was coming, but for her father, Eberhard, then a gangly teenager, life in Hawaii was an endless summer. — David Martin, CBS News, 7 Dec. 2025 Almost immediately, the long legs, tail, and gangly frame didn’t match that breed. — Lucy Notarantonio, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gangly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangly
  1. gaunt
  2. lanky
  3. skinny
  4. spindly
  5. rangy
  6. thin
  7. bony
Adjective
  • Apple was widely criticized in the late 2000s for not volunteering more information about Jobs’ health, especially as concerns about his gaunt appearance battered the company’s shares.
    — Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026
  • As her pregnancy progressed, Kabita’s belly swelled while the rest of her remained gaunt.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of gaunt
Adjective
  • On a recent afternoon, the lanky, mustachioed Zucker, wearing a T-shirt, ballcap and small hoop earrings, bears little resemblance to his comic alter ego who sports a tattered suit with gag props stuffed in every pocket.
    — Deputy Entertainment, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026
  • How can this lanky kid, all 6-foot-2, 187 pounds of him, deliver the ball with such strength and distance?
    — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of lanky
Adjective
  • The junior right-hander can be rolling to his left, then plant, turn and fire a pass, with his long, skinny arm, 60 yards downfield and right on the money.
    — Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 Aug. 2026
  • While at the airport, the singer wore skinny jeans and a white tee, styled with bauble earrings and a black-and-white fringe jacket.
    — Kelsey Stiegman, InStyle, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of skinny
Adjective
  • At a little under two feet, the can’t-miss fixture spreads a warm light that creates a welcoming atmosphere for reading, relaxing, or sharing drinks without harsh overhead lighting or a spindly, corner-lurking, fluorescent presence.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 26 Aug. 2026
  • In this splendid and very hot outfit, completed with spindly heeled sandals, Allie reluctantly toddles off into the night to join her glimmering, mini-skirted sisters.
    — Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of spindly
Adjective
  • Many different clubs have considered moves for the rangy midfielder over the years, and Atletico came closest to signing him in summer 2024.
    — Dermot Corrigan, New York Times, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Some appear impulsive, or impressively rangy, leaving earlier and traveling more, whereas others fail to leave altogether.
    — Vann R. Newkirk II, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
Definition of rangy
Adjective
  • Days turn crisp, aspens begin streaking the valley with gold and summer crowds thin in Grand Teton National Park.
    — Brittany Anas, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Unlike mainstream fusion projects such as tokamaks, the Texatron does not rely on giant superconducting magnets to hold a thin gas in place for long periods.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of thin
Adjective
  • Lift your hips off the ground and place a block underneath your sacrum, the widest, boniest part of your pelvis.
    — Cory Martin, Verywell Health, 16 Oct. 2024
  • Differences in Adult Bones That being said, some adults are bonier than others.
    — Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 3 Nov. 2023
Definition of bony

Browse Nearby Words

gangling
gangly
gangrene
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Gangly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangly. Accessed 3 Sep. 2026.

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