shoestring 1 of 2

noun

ˈshü-ˌstriŋ How to pronounce shoestring (audio)
Definition of shoestringnext
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

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

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
  1. dime
  2. spindly
  3. stringy
  4. wispy
  5. twiggy
  6. lanky
  7. willowy
  8. reedy
Noun
  • Rookie cornerback Jadon Canady, on the field in a dime look, broke up a Mahomes pass intended for Kelce.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 8 Aug. 2026
  • In the first game between the two, a 99-88 Storm win, Malonga recorded 20 points on 9-of-12 shooting, with 10 rebounds, two dimes and a block.
    — Fiifi Frimpong, New York Daily News, 7 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
  • With feathery, wispy foliage, cosmos works well as a filler with larger plants.
    — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 1 Aug. 2026
  • 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
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
  • Douglas, who is speedy, lanky and athletic at 6 foot 4, 205 pounds, can be tough to defend.
    — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026
  • At one point something about the way the sculpture is perched atop Roth’s lanky frame is deemed extraterrestrial.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 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

Browse Nearby Words

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shoestring
shone
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Cite this Entry

“Shoestring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoestring. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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