Synonyms of skeletal

skeletal

adjective

ˈske-lə-tᵊl 

as in gaunt

suffering extreme weight loss as a result of hunger or disease

the stray kitten's skeletal body was pitiful to look at

Synonyms & Similar Words

• gaunt
• haggard
• bony
• emaciated
• starving
• starved
• cadaverous
• hungry
• skinny
• scrawny
• lanky
• thin
• wasted
• sinewy
• lank
• undernourished
• underfed
• rawboned
• scraggy
• wizened
• spare
• withered
• famished
• shriveled

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• healthy
• burly
• beefy
• husky
• brawny
• fit
• hearty
• hale
• fleshy
• fat
• obese
• plump
• overweight
• stocky
• corpulent
• chubby
• rotund
• pudgy
• thickset
• portly
• tubby
• heavyset
• flabby
• soft
• roly-poly

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of skeletal

There are existing methods for cleaning skeletal remains, such as burial, digestive enzymes, or chemical treatments. — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 1 July 2026

An experiment on mice conducted by a team of researchers from Texas A&M University has revealed a healing sequence in mammalian physiology that rebuilds lost skeletal structure, albeit with less than perfect results. — Mike McRae 28, New Atlas, 28 June 2026

For years, a static skeletal figure sat atop a cursed pile of gold, but now, his story is coming to life thanks to the latest in Audio-Animatronic technology. — Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 26 June 2026

Among the discoveries at the Tell Kom Aziza burial site were the skeletal remains of two wild boars. — Ahmed Shawkat, CBS News, 24 June 2026