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 And there’s almost no one in town who wouldn’t take that offering, except this scrawny dude. Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 27 Mar. 2025 As the Ratliff's scrawny, shy Lochlan, Nivola navigates some stormy waters, especially his character's disquieting relationships with siblings Saxon and Piper. Randall Colburn, EW.com, 31 Mar. 2025 The stray was scrawny, short-haired, and had a scratched and scarred nose. Barbara A. Perry, Newsweek, 27 Jan. 2025 Proctor was a scrawny 12-year-old surfing Malibu’s Second Point in the mid-1980s when Miod paddled up and introduced himself. Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for scrawny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrawny
Adjective
  • Jamie has a big head, like a baby, and skinny limbs; his flashes of menace have the horror-movie quality of an evil doll.
    Molly Fischer, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
  • As a departure from the era of plain skinny ties, Lauren's wide, colorful neckties broke the mold, and his company grew from there.
    Diane J. Cho, People.com, 28 June 2025
Adjective
  • Johansson’s sleeveless look featured thin straps and a sweetheart neckline with a formfitting silhouette and long, floor-length skirt.
    Julia Teti, Footwear News, 30 June 2025
  • The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • As Artaserse, Kim’s performance took some time to ripen on Friday, his voice sometimes vanishingly slender and lagging behind the orchestra in his first aria to Semira.
    Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 28 June 2025
  • Here again, binoculars will prove most beneficial in helping to find not only Pollux and Castor, but this exceedingly slender lunar sliver.
    Joe Rao, Space.com, 24 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Scrawny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrawny. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

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