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
as in spindly
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of shoestring
Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
The fresh fries are shoestring style.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Erik Kirschbaum, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2021
Recent polls show that public opinion of Trump is souring as former Vice President Joe Biden pulls ahead in crucial swing states, despite a shoestring campaign and self-confinement to his Delaware home.
—Justin Sink, Bloomberg.com, 12 May 2020
See All Example Sentences for shoestring
Noun
A lot of new late-night shows operate on even more of a shoestring.
—Joy Press, Vanity Fair, 19 Feb. 2026
The fresh fries are shoestring style.
—Carlos Rico, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Feb. 2026
Adjective
The nonpartisan Wahl-O-Mat runs on a shoestring annual budget of 100,000 euros, or $120,000, with just three staff members under the aegis of the federal agency for civic education (BPB), Pamela Brandt, project manager since 2004, said in an interview.
—Erik Kirschbaum, Los Angeles Times, 24 Sep. 2021
Recent polls show that public opinion of Trump is souring as former Vice President Joe Biden pulls ahead in crucial swing states, despite a shoestring campaign and self-confinement to his Delaware home.
—Justin Sink, Bloomberg.com, 12 May 2020
See All Example Sentences for shoestring
Recent Examples of Synonyms for shoestring
Noun
-
That’s where ideas like open enrollment, education funding that follows the student, or state and federal tax-credit scholarships that don’t cost taxpayers a dime come into the conversation — not as political talking points, but as practical tools for families who need options.—
Angelette C. Aviles,
Baltimore Sun,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Those who join the study will have the painless, dime-sized Velcro-like circles placed on seven different spots on the body; one set for 20 minutes, others on for 24 hours, so two groups of seven in all, Robison said.—
Helen I. Bennett,
Hartford Courant,
7 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Despite being a spindly 180 pounds, he has not been worn down by the rigors of the Big 10 or the NCAA tournament, having scored in double figures in every game since the calendar turned to 2026.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Known as the night-blooming cereus, the plant spends most of the year blending into the desert as a spindly, stick-like shrub.—
Dante Motley,
Austin American Statesman,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
They’re made of pairs and trios of quarks that are bound together by stringy trails of gluons.—
Quanta Magazine,
Quanta Magazine,
23 Mar. 2026
-
Use a bit of hair powder to keep your bangs from appearing stringy.—
Krista Carter,
InStyle,
27 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Eclipses allow scientists to study the sun's wispy outer atmosphere, known as the corona, which is usually swamped by our star's immense brightness.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
7 Apr. 2026
-
Head-turning ginger blonde curls are stunning on their own, but add some wispy bangs for a softer look.—
Kaitlyn Yarborough,
Southern Living,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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All types of roses, except climbing varieties, can be pruned to remove long canes, dead or declining portions and twiggy growths.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
21 Feb. 2026
-
Wholesale shearing results in plants with dense foliage atop dead, twiggy branches.—
Luke Miller,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
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The Red Sox could say the same thing about the lanky, 6-foot-5 left-hander.—
Jeff Sanders,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Apr. 2026
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At 6-foot-1 and 179 pounds, Masses is a long, lanky (31-inch arms) defensive back with 42 college starts, between Cal and Florida International.—
Mike Kaye
April 6,
Charlotte Observer,
6 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Moss-colored chaise longues in the living area, piled with pillows and wool blankets, are perfectly positioned to take in the view, as are the four-poster beds with wool-blend mattresses and willowy gauzy curtains.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
30 Jan. 2026
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Given the differences in Western and Eastern beauty standards, and the realities of setting a romance in the hockey world, neither Shane nor Ilya fit the mold of BL’s feminine, willowy bishonen.—
Wilson Chapman,
IndieWire,
30 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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That reedy Vox Continental organ sound would re-emerge during the punk and New Wave era of the late 1970s and early ’80s with Joe King Carrasco and the Crowns and Elvis Costello and the Attractions.—
Hector Saldana,
San Antonio Express-News,
9 Mar. 2026
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At the Upper West Side outpost of the Strand, the actor is a reedy presence, his small figure buried in a large North Face winter jacket and topped with a shock of curly hair.—
Jackson McHenry,
Vulture,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Shoestring.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/shoestring. Accessed 11 Apr. 2026.
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