scrawny

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective scrawny contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of scrawny are gaunt, lanky, lank, lean, rawboned, skinny, and spare. While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken
skinny street urchins

When could gaunt be used to replace scrawny?

The words gaunt and scrawny can be used in similar contexts, but gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

When is lank a more appropriate choice than scrawny?

Although the words lank and scrawny have much in common, lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

In what contexts can lanky take the place of scrawny?

The synonyms lanky and scrawny are sometimes interchangeable, but lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

When is it sensible to use lean instead of scrawny?

While the synonyms lean and scrawny are close in meaning, lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

When might rawboned be a better fit than scrawny?

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

a rawboned farmer

When can spare be used instead of scrawny?

In some situations, the words spare and scrawny are roughly equivalent. 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 scrawny Nestor Lorenzo has managed Rodriguez well so far (Jamie Squire/Getty Images) A decade ago, Diaz was a scrawny 17-year-old from Barrancas with dreams of becoming a professional player. Felipe Cardenas, The Athletic, 12 July 2024 Industrial breeding turned the scrawny, two-and-a-half-pound chickens of the 1920s into today’s six-pounders. Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2024 Here, the body of a scrawny Jesus gushes blood, sending a rivulet of scarlet down his crucifix and onto the ground below. Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 11 Oct. 2024 And Texas football players in the fourth and fifth grade were not necessarily respectful of a scrawny kid with a violin. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 18 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for scrawny 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrawny
Adjective
  • The year is already off to a stylish start for Frame, which just dropped a new skinny jean release with Gen Z icon Alix Earle.
    Michelle Lee, People.com, 6 Feb. 2025
  • In the rare mother-son paparazzi photos, Hailey matched Jack's black Doona stroller and carseat with an all-black outfit of her own, pairing relaxed trousers with a chic faux fur coat, skinny sunglasses, and simple black boots.
    Emily Tannenbaum, Glamour, 1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Researchers first treated and sterilized thin sections of fossil using a mixture of ultrapure water and ethanol.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 6 Feb. 2025
  • Spread in a thin layer on the prepared baking sheets.
    Rowan Briggs, The Mercury News, 5 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Every three months, Ito, a tall and slender 29-year-old Ngäbe man with HIV embarks on a five-hour trek to the town of Pueblo Nuevo to pick up his antiretroviral medication.
    Adam Williams, NPR, 11 Jan. 2025
  • Gi-hun is initially searching for The Recruiter, played by Gong Yoo, a slender figure in a sharp suit that lured people into the game by playing ddakji in the subway.
    Peter White, Deadline, 26 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near scrawny

Cite this Entry

“Scrawny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrawny. Accessed 18 Feb. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on scrawny

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