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skinny

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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
Don’t skimp on seasonless staples on sale, either, like Madewell’s skinny leather belt and Adina’s statement gold earrings. Kristina Rutkowski, Vogue, 19 June 2025 Meanwhile, the algorithms supplied images of skinnier and skinnier girls, on more and more extreme diets. Charlotte Alter, Time, 18 June 2025
Noun
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 The constant diet and exercise failures were frustrating, especially as a brown girl who was told that skinny is beautiful. Syeda Saad, refinery29.com, 25 Sep. 2024 See All Example Sentences for skinny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skinny
Adjective
  • Each version features flattering ruching at the midsection, thin straps for minimal tan lines, and dozens of colors to choose from.
    Alesandra Dubin, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2025
  • One person shared that while the print side is thin like a typical kitchen towel, the reverse is more plush, like a bath towel, soaking up water easily while doing the dishes.
    Jacqueline Tempera, People.com, 30 June 2025
Adjective
  • Nolan Traoré, France An intriguing but very slender point guard, the 6-3 teenager should be a first-rounder.
    Tim Reynolds, Los Angeles Times, 25 June 2025
  • Lively became mostly famous for, well, being Blake Lively: tall, slender, beautiful, and suspiciously perfect — a patron saint for the Instagram age.
    David Mack, Rolling Stone, 10 June 2025
Noun
  • His ground ball went right to second baseman Tommy Edman, who initiated a game-ending double play that required Freddie Freeman to make a sprawling scoop at first base.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 28 June 2025
  • Front aero dive planes and underbody strakes keep this ‘Vette feeling stable at speeds over 200 mph, and new rear brake scoops help chill massive carbon-ceramic brakes that held up during all-day lapping at COTA, despite sizzling ambient temperatures.
    Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 25 June 2025
Adjective
  • Romero gave chase down a narrow alley where Biddle said Sartor turned and fired, striking Romero in the right arm.
    City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 30 June 2025
  • While the House of Representatives passed one version of the legislation and the Senate advanced a separate one, the GOP’s narrow majorities in both chambers make the timing of the eventual package and its exact provisions less certain.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 30 June 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
  • Moving further north Florida is one of the only places the subtropical fruit grows in the United States and groves cover more than 1000 acres across the state, most of them in the southern tip of the state.
    Ashley Miznazi, Miami Herald, 26 June 2025
  • Anyone with information is urged to contact the FBI's San Francisco Field Office at 415-553-7400 or submit a tip online at tips.fbi.gov.
    Stepheny Price, FOXNews.com, 26 June 2025
Adjective
  • What’s rising in the aftermath is a new breed of giving that is leaner, faster, and built on the principles of decentralization, distribution, and data.
    Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025
  • Men with aviator glasses and handlebar moustaches, leather jackets, jeans, or flannel walk down the street, lean against storefronts and lampposts.
    Hazlitt, Hazlitt, 25 June 2025
Noun
  • People have long speculated that the lottery was rigged for the big-market Knicks despite attempts from the NBA to shut down the rumors.
    Lev Akabas, Sportico.com, 25 June 2025
  • The couple first sparked dating rumors after they were spotted together in New York City and Miami in February 2025, per TMZ.
    Ingrid Vasquez, People.com, 25 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Skinny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skinny. Accessed 6 Jul. 2025.

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