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

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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

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 Completing the hat trick in pitiful style, Taking on the World was shot on a shoestring budget, helmed by the man behind Highlander III, and forced to rely on stock footage of real-life footballers. — Jon O'Brien, Vulture, 26 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

Before the viral goal celebrations, the Norwegian striker ordered Normatec boots off the Hyperice website on his own dime.

— Lilian Raji, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
The boring, dime-a-dozen influencer is dead, and nobody’s mourning it.

— Rebecca Jennings, Vulture, 30 July 2026

Definition of dime

Adjective

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
Yes, this is the fourth Spider-Man installment starring Tom Holland as the spindly hero, not including the other Marvel projects he’s popped in for.

— David Sims, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026

Definition of spindly

Adjective

The seed is held inside a stringy, pulpy husk, which should be cleaned, then removed.

— Madeline Buiano, Martha Stewart, 7 July 2026
Among them is, naturally, the stringy bikini look, and Kylie Jenner appears more than happy to kick off the season while soaking in every second of her dreamy Kylie Cosmetics trip.

— Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 4 June 2026

Definition of stringy

Adjective

The gravity-defying neckline featured wispy metallic silver fringe cascading from its angular edges in a waterfall effect.

— Julia Teti, Footwear News, 30 July 2026
Under a microscope, their hairlike cilia sweep the area outside the cell like wispy brooms, pulling bacteria into their mouths and pushing them around.

— Marlowe Starling, Quanta Magazine, 27 July 2026

Definition of wispy

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

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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“Shoestring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoestring. Accessed 10 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of shoestring

noun

adjective

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