Synonyms of skinny

skinny 1 of 2

adjective

ˈski-nē 

1

as in thin

being of less than usual width

the tree swing was supported only by a couple of skinny branches

Synonyms & Similar Words

• thin
• slender
• narrow
• slim
• fine
• tight
• elongated
• paper-thin
• needlelike
• close
• linear
• ultrathin
• spare
• elongate
• slim-jim
• condensed
• lanky
• compressed
• tightened
• willowy
• squeezed
• hairline
• spindly
• twiggy
• stringy
• constricted
• attenuated
• wispy
• reedy
• rangy
• contracted
• lank
• stalky
• attenuate
• bottleneck
• shoestring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• fat
• wide
• broad
• thick
• stocky
• stumpy
• chunky
• squat
• thickset
• bulky
• massive
• voluminous
• thickish
• widish

2

as in slender

having a noticeably small amount of body fat

her grandmother was always insisting that she was too skinny and never tired of trying to force more food on her

Synonyms & Similar Words

• thin
• slender
• bony
• lean
• slim
• gaunt
• angular
• svelte
• skeletal
• boney
• lithe
• trim
• fatless
• haggard
• scrawny
• spare
• willowy
• wiry
• lanky
• anorexic
• spindly
• stringy
• twiggy
• weedy
• rawboned
• sinewy
• emaciated
• scraggy
• reedy
• lank
• sylphlike
• waspish
• rangy
• anorectic
• wizened
• clean-limbed
• puny
• meagre
• pinched
• meager
• cadaverous
• anoretic
• slight
• wasted
• spindling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• chubby
• fat
• overweight
• obese
• plump
• corpulent
• rotund
• thick
• tubby
• gross
• stocky
• bulky
• portly
• fleshy
• heavy
• chunky
• beefy
• stout
• heavyset
• thickset
• burly
• pudgy
• weighty
• husky
• stubby
• brawny
• dumpy
• squat
• paunchy
• flabby
• potbellied
• soft
• buxom
• full
• round
• roly-poly
• hippy
• zaftig
• zoftig

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

• scoop
• tip
• rumor
• dope
• book
• information
• poop
• inside
• news
• lowdown
• 411
• story
• dish
• gossip
• word
• dirt
• hint
• pointer
• intelligence
• tidings

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ancient history
• open secret

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

Recent Examples of skinny

Adjective

But the essential Flaco — his nickname means skinny — never lost his roots in the rich musical traditions of Mexican Texas. —John Burnett, NPR, 1 Aug. 2025

Colts wide receiver Alec Pierce, running a skinny post down the left sideline, caught the ball in stride for about a 20-yard gain before skirting out of bounds. —James Boyd, New York Times, 6 Aug. 2025

Noun

Fubo declined to put a price tag on its upcoming news and sports skinny bundle, which aims to draw sport fans away from the traditional cable bundle after Venu shuttered. —Etan Vlessing, The Hollywood Reporter, 28 Feb. 2025

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