skinny 1 of 2

skinny

2 of 2

noun

slang
as in scoop
information not generally available to the public a TV show that offers all the skinny on Tinseltown and the stars that light it up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective skinny contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of skinny are gaunt, lanky, lank, lean, rawboned, scrawny, and spare. While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken
skinny street urchins

When is gaunt a more appropriate choice than skinny?

The meanings of gaunt and skinny largely overlap; however, gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

When is it sensible to use lank instead of skinny?

While the synonyms lank and skinny are close in meaning, lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

Where would lanky be a reasonable alternative to skinny?

In some situations, the words lanky and skinny are roughly equivalent. However, lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

When can lean be used instead of skinny?

While in some cases nearly identical to skinny, lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

When might rawboned be a better fit than skinny?

The synonyms rawboned and skinny are sometimes interchangeable, but rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

When could spare be used to replace skinny?

The words spare and skinny are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

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 skinny
Adjective
Caught in an undignified situation, humiliated by a hot, skinnier love interest, Jessica was the latest incarnation of the funny fat lady (who is never actually that fat, merely representative of the average American woman). Alison Willmore, Vulture, 16 July 2025 The candidates are running to represent Arizona’s 7th Congressional District, a bright-blue stronghold that includes much of the state's border with Mexico and a skinny slice of Avondale and Tolleson. Laura Gersony, AZCentral.com, 15 July 2025
Noun
The 14-time Grammy Award winning pop star attended the Kansas City Chiefs vs. the Las Vegas Raiders game last month in black skinnies, reigniting online debates about the fit’s status in fashion. Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 10 Jan. 2025 Stay tuned for Deadline’s Q&A with Blue Bloods EP Kevin Wade for the BTS skinny on the series finale. Dominic Patten, Deadline, 13 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for skinny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skinny
Adjective
  • Light cushioning maximizes comfort and support in the arch of your foot, while keeping its thin profile.
    Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 24 July 2025
  • Armstrong provides another veteran depth option to vie for a roster spot in a position group that’s already thin and now ailing.
    David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 24 July 2025
Adjective
  • Anya Taylor-Joy, imperiously slender and with devouring eyes, has a porcelain haughtiness that doesn’t quite work as Emma Woodhouse — at least not for me.
    Tom Gliatto, People.com, 19 July 2025
  • Those garments included curvaceous jackets with jodhpurs and slender gowns cut from both light-absorbing velvet and light reflecting satin. At Chanel, meanwhile, the dark hue was used for military suits in nubby tweeds.
    Ari Stark, Footwear News, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • Add a scoop of collagen for skin and joint health, along with your favorite sweetener to taste. 10.
    Jillian Kubala, Health, 22 July 2025
  • Jeni's: Free sundae fudge sauce with any scoop shop order.
    Dina Kaur, AZCentral.com, 21 July 2025
Adjective
  • Greene’s characterization of a ‘narrow audience’ echoes this.
    Matthew Carey Salyer, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • Mona Jones said that was no cakewalk: The bridge over the Salt River didn't exist in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and State Route 87, the Beeline Highway, was just a narrow two-lane road.
    Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 24 July 2025
Adjective
  • Lift your hips off the ground and place a block underneath your sacrum, the widest, boniest part of your pelvis.
    Cory Martin, Verywell Health, 16 Oct. 2024
  • Differences in Adult Bones That being said, some adults are bonier than others.
    Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 3 Nov. 2023
Noun
  • Send ideas and tips to arlyssa.becenti@arizonarepublic.com.
    Arlyssa D. Becenti, AZCentral.com, 21 July 2025
  • Best Dressed Vogue Daily newsletter Get the latest fashion stories, style, and tips, handpicked for you, every day.
    Christian Allaire, Vogue, 20 July 2025
Adjective
  • The two groups lost a similar percentage of lean muscle mass.1 Notably, in the semaglutide group, being older, female, and consuming less protein at the start of the study were all associated with the greatest losses in lean mass.
    Simon Spichak, Health, 18 July 2025
  • Much of what is imported is lean beef trimmings that meatpackers mix with fattier beef produced in the U.S. to produce the varieties of ground beef that domestic consumers want.
    Josh Funk, Chicago Tribune, 18 July 2025
Noun
  • However, the Friends actress might have slammed the door on those rumors.
    Lea Veloso, StyleCaster, 19 July 2025
  • Whether its an album, radio single, memoir or just a joint performance, though, remains, like the best Fleetwood Mac projects, a rumor.
    Anna Kaufman, USA Today, 19 July 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Skinny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skinny. Accessed 31 Jul. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on skinny

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!