LANKY Synonyms: 58 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'lanky' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of lanky are gaunt , lank , lean , rawboned , scrawny , skinny , and spare . While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness. // a lanky youth, all arms and legs

Q: When can 'gaunt' be used instead of 'lanky'?

Although the words gaunt and lanky have much in common, gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering. // a prisoner's gaunt face

Q: When is 'lank' a more appropriate choice than 'lanky'?

The synonyms lank and lanky are sometimes interchangeable, but lank implies tallness as well as leanness. // the lank legs of the heron

Q: When would 'lean' be a good substitute for 'lanky'?

The words lean and lanky can be used in similar contexts, but lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours. // a lean racehorse

Q: When could 'rawboned' be used to replace 'lanky'?

While in some cases nearly identical to lanky , rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment. // a rawboned farmer

Q: How do 'scrawny' and 'skinny' relate to one another, in the sense of 'lanky'?

Both scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality. // a scrawny chicken // skinny street urchins

Q: Where would 'spare' be a reasonable alternative to 'lanky'?

The meanings of spare and lanky largely overlap; however, spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise. // the gymnast's spare figure

lanky

adjective

ˈlaŋ-kē

Definition of lanky

as in gaunt

being tall, thin and usually loose-jointed the lanky basketball star was great at slam-dunking

Synonyms & Similar Words

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How does the adjective lanky contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of lanky are gaunt, lank, lean, rawboned, scrawny, skinny, and spare. While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

When can gaunt be used instead of lanky?

Although the words gaunt and lanky have much in common, gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

When is lank a more appropriate choice than lanky?

The synonyms lank and lanky are sometimes interchangeable, but lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

When would lean be a good substitute for lanky?

The words lean and lanky can be used in similar contexts, but lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

When could rawboned be used to replace lanky?

While in some cases nearly identical to lanky, rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

How do scrawny and skinny relate to one another, in the sense of lanky?

Both scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken

skinny street urchins

Where would spare be a reasonable alternative to lanky?

The meanings of spare and lanky largely overlap; however, spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

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 lanky Verity ultimately transforms into a tall, lanky monster chasing ThatMob in the dark. — Owen Carry, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026 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 And his lanky build combined with agility can draw plenty of fouls. — Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for lanky

Recent Examples of Synonyms for lanky

Adjective

The group last played a public show on July 18 in Valdosta, Georgia, following an uneven few months where Love appeared gaunt and sang in a raspy, diminished voice.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
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

Definition of gaunt

Adjective

Since the beginning of the episode, Lee’s been tailed by McMann’s skinny accomplice — the guy Ginger shot in the neck at the end of the season premiere.

— Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 22 Oct. 2026
His long tusks were pale white; the bottoms of his feet splayed out wide under his skinny legs, the better to stabilize on sand.

— Samantha Falewée, Condé Nast Traveler, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of skinny

Adjective

The interior features mid-century modern furniture, circular mirrors, and most notably, a spindly tree that grows up through the middle of the dining room.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 26 Oct. 2026
The front door opens to a wall of giant spindly cacti masking large south-facing windows.

— Wendy Goodman, Curbed, 19 Sep. 2026

Definition of spindly

Adjective

Coach Jeff Hafley has called the rangy 6-foot-4 receiver day to day but said Wednesday Douglas’ ankle wasn’t quite ready for a return to practice.

— David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 8 Oct. 2026
Tall, agile and rangy, the 6-foot-3, 155-pound Van Dellen believes football isn’t even his best sport.

— Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of rangy

Adjective

The team’s mesh consists of a grid of ultrathin ribbons of polymer with a thin conductive wire of platinum running through them.

— Edd Gent, IEEE Spectrum, 29 Oct. 2026
Scientists fired terahertz radiation, a form of low-frequency invisible light, straight through the ultra-thin samples.

— Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 29 Oct. 2026

Definition of thin

Adjective

The material is reimagined as a series of gangly, tubular legs that dangle around a pedestal in the center of the CVA gallery on Santa Fe Drive.

— Ray Mark Rinaldi, Denver Post, 28 Sep. 2026
That’s just one aspect of No One’s Disciple, mind you — Dunn and McFadyen may be lucky enough to capture some truly once-in-a-lifetime sessions, but the focus remains on chronicling Peart’s arc from gangly Hamilton kid to worldly rock god.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026

Definition of gangly

Adjective

Even the two slender shoulder straps emerge from pointed leather tabs that recall the workmanship of a saddle.

— Lilah Ramzi, Vogue, 1 Nov. 2026
Having grossed a gargantuan $522 million worldwide (on a slender sub-$1 million production budget), Obsession now stands as this year’s highest profile showcase for cinematic noggin smashing.

— Chris Lee, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026

Definition of slender

Browse Nearby Words

lank

lanky

lantern

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“Lanky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lanky. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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Synonyms of lanky

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