SHOESTRING Synonyms: 88 Similar and Opposite Words

shoestring 1 of 2

noun

ˈshü-ˌstriŋ

Definition of shoestring

as in dime

a very small sum of money trying to start a business on a shoestring

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

shoestring

2 of 2

adjective

as in spindly

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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 shoestring

Noun

Women build communities, launch initiatives, and create coalitions on shoestring budgets while the institutional resources that would let those efforts scale remain largely inaccessible. — Lisa Curtis, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 That saved money for the shoestring production, plus the 1928 Spanish style house had a fairy-tale quality that felt right for the dark Cinderella story. — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 28 June 2026

Adjective

First-time customer Regan Hau ate the chili alongside a basket of shoestring french fries, an item Waite said Town Topic didn’t offer until the ‘80s. — Kansas City Star, 22 Aug. 2025 Shot on a shoestring $2 million budget from private financing by Altavista Films — a rarity in late-’90s Mexico where most movies were still state-subsidized — Amores Perros was edited by Iñárritu himself, in his home, over several grueling months. — Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 21 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for shoestring

Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoestring

Noun

Plus, Anarumo likes to deploy nickel and dime packages, which opens the door for more defensive backs to see the field.

— James Boyd, New York Times, 18 Aug. 2026
Disney will get a healthy cut of that without even needing to invest a dime and that really is a happy ending.

— Caroline Reid, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of dime

Adjective

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
But, a year later, a bright-red humanoid—swinging a pair of spindly arms for balance—beat all twelve thousand human competitors and broke the world record.

— Evan Osnos, New Yorker, 3 Aug. 2026

Definition of spindly

Adjective

Beans and Peas Beans and peas can grow stringy and tough when they are allowed to over-mature.

— Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 14 Aug. 2026
Taylor cautions that aggressive layering that doesn’t consider your specific hair type can remove too much density, while Hannam notes that trying to maintain a lot of length while adding shaggy layers can leave the ends looking stringy.

— Marci Robin, Allure, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of stringy

Adjective

Remove any twiggy branches that are thinner than a pencil, branches that cross each other, and all dead or diseased branches.

— Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 16 July 2026
Their twiggy legs and bony frames exposed in bathing suits, the kids do indeed look extra vulnerable within the film’s savage landscape.

— Beatrice Loayza, Variety, 25 May 2026

Definition of twiggy

Adjective

And his lanky build combined with agility can draw plenty of fouls.

— Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 18 Aug. 2026
Sinner, a lanky twenty-four-year-old Italian with red hair, sharp elbows, and ground strokes like shotgun blasts, had won thirty consecutive matches and was the overwhelming favorite.

— Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of lanky

Adjective

However, the primary reason for these willowy airfoils is entirely practical.

— David Szondy August 04, New Atlas, 4 Aug. 2026
Cosmos Cosmos help create an ethereal-looking garden, thanks to their long, willowy stems and bright, fluffy blooms that come in dozens of vibrant colors, from rich chocolate cosmos to delicate ‘Apricotta’ tones.

— Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 8 July 2026

Definition of willowy

Adjective

The prosecutor, Johann Frischman, laid out, in a reedy voice, the criminal complaint.

— William Finnegan, New Yorker, 29 June 2026
Among those acolytes is Lucien (Jérémy Gillet), a reedy, repressed young virgin who yearns to be part of the gay community but hasn’t the courage to come out to his domineering mother Christine (Elisabeth Wiener), who also just happens to be the country’s very right-wing health minister.

— Guy Lodge, Variety, 23 May 2026

Definition of reedy

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shoes

shoestring

shone

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“Shoestring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoestring. Accessed 24 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of shoestring

noun

adjective

Example Sentences

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