Synonyms of lanky

lanky

adjective

ˈlaŋ-kē 

as in gaunt

being tall, thin and usually loose-jointed

the lanky basketball star was great at slam-dunking

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gaunt
• skinny
• spindly
• gangling
• rangy
• thin
• gangly
• slender
• bony
• scrawny
• lean
• angular
• lank
• wiry
• rawboned
• spindling
• willowy
• scraggy
• weedy
• boney
• reedy
• slim
• stringy
• spidery
• twiggy
• waspish
• racy
• spare
• spindle-legged
• spindle-shanked

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• stocky
• pudgy
• chubby
• stubby
• bulky
• stumpy
• beefy
• heavyset
• sturdy
• stout
• thickset
• chunky
• squat
• weighty
• plump
• rotund
• corpulent
• portly
• overweight
• obese
• fleshy
• tubby
• fat
• full
• round
• gross
• muscle-bound
• roly-poly

Synonym Chooser

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

Recent Examples of lanky

Swapping sunny California for the Austrian Alps (and Masha's lanky blonde locks for an icy bob), the season finds Masha overseeing a new batch of strangers eager to overcome their anxieties, traumas, and struggles back home. —Randall Colburn, EW.com, 21 May 2025

There’s something about a lanky, underappreciated guard with a wonky shooting form and a clutch gene that Hoosiers appreciate. —Zak Keefer, New York Times, 21 May 2025

The long, lanky cornerback spent four years with Monmouth, playing in 37 games. —Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 29 May 2025

Jesus and Mahavira: lanky, lugubrious men, asking me to choose between them. —Tishani Doshi, New York Times, 18 May 2025