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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
Pale, skinny women in punkish black mingled comfortably with beefy men in rugged work clothes. Tamar Jacoby, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025 Look at skinny jeans and how long those took to begin selling. Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 2 Sep. 2025
Noun
She was last seen wearing a white tank top, gray skinny ripped jeans and a pink bonnet in her hair. Jack Albright, jsonline.com, 18 July 2025 Denim trends have shifted away from rigid skinnies and toward ease, fluidity, and freedom. Ruhama Wolle, Glamour, 10 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for skinny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skinny
Adjective
  • Leaders who pay attention to these lessons now will be best prepared to thrive in a world where the boundaries between Earth and orbit are becoming ever thinner.
    Bernard Marr, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
  • The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.
    CA Weather Bot, Sacbee.com, 11 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • This further shrank the already slender Republican House majority.
    W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 12 Sep. 2025
  • There are several superstar cameos, and they’re nicely integrated into the movie’s slender plot.
    Stephanie Zacharek, Time, 11 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Add a scoop of guacamole or a bean puree, or grated cheese and salsa rioja.
    Lynda Balslev, Mercury News, 10 Sep. 2025
  • After Princeton and military service, he was sent to the Paris bureau, where his scoops and reviews forced designers to alter their view of Women’s Wear Daily as unimportant.
    James Fallon, Footwear News, 10 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • They’re also made with arch support and a toe box that’s not too narrow or crammed, per the brand, plus the rubber sole offers a nice cushioned platform with each step.
    Alyssa Grabinski, PEOPLE, 8 Sep. 2025
  • With Republicans holding only a narrow majority, the outcomes could shape the balance of power heading into 2026.
    Grace Sandman, ABC News, 8 Sep. 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
  • Vogue Daily newsletter Get the latest fashion stories, style, and tips, handpicked for you, every day.
    Elly Leavitt, Vogue, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Restaurant Mola Mola At the southern tip of Ishigaki inside Ishigaki Seaside Hotel, Mola Mola offers sweeping ocean views and an impressive buffet.
    Kaila Yu, Forbes.com, 12 Sep. 2025
Adjective
  • Rizzoli’s anchovy fillets were leaner than what our panel preferred.
    Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 10 Sep. 2025
  • The result is a resilient, insight-ready infrastructure that supports faster investigations, leaner maintenance and more agile process improvement—without compromising the stringent regulatory environment that defines the industry.
    Nagesh Nama, Forbes.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • While vocal over the years about his aversion to sell, take on a business partner or publicly list the company, rumors about Armani contemplating forming a foundation first emerged in 2012.
    Luisa Zargani, Footwear News, 12 Sep. 2025
  • Kirk's murder has become another flashpoint in which foreign actors can amplify rumors, deepen polarization, and challenge Americans' confidence in their institutions.
    Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Skinny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skinny. Accessed 15 Sep. 2025.

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