spindly

adjective

ˈspin(d)-lē How to pronounce spindly (audio)
Definition of spindlynext
as in gaunt
being tall, thin and usually loose-jointed spindly, underfed dogs roamed the poverty-stricken village

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 spindly The result is a bulbous body covered in scraggly fur atop four spindly legs, a stout head and little to no neck. — Drew Pittock, USA Today, 25 July 2026 Across this paradise the finch-like honeycreeper flits, feeding off the red spindly flowers of the evergreen ‘ōhi‘a lehua tree. — Literary Hub, 20 July 2026 Too few nutrients, or not enough fertilizer, for petunias looks like leggy, spindly growth, pale color, few or no blooms, and slow growth. — Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 July 2026 Oh no, Armand’s got his spindly roots in the band! — Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 29 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for spindly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spindly
  1. gaunt
  2. skinny
  3. lanky
  4. thin
  5. bony
  6. gangly
  7. slender
Adjective
  • As her pregnancy progressed, Kabita’s belly swelled while the rest of her remained gaunt.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • On the first day of the hearing, July 22, Salah Sarsour's brother, Mohammad Sarsour, testified that his brother appeared gaunt and dirty and complained of pain and inadequate medical care during his detention in an Israeli jail.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 5 Aug. 2026
Definition of gaunt
Adjective
  • Police described the intruder as a 6-foot-tall skinny Black man between 30 and 40 years old, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt.
    — Logan Hall, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Their Dom Sandals feature skinny, understated straps, including one around the ankle/back of the foot for security.
    — Anna Traver, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of skinny
Adjective
  • Douglas, who is speedy, lanky and athletic at 6 foot 4, 205 pounds, can be tough to defend.
    — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 12 Aug. 2026
  • At one point something about the way the sculpture is perched atop Roth’s lanky frame is deemed extraterrestrial.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of lanky
Adjective
  • Handling compliments about weight loss The pressure to be thinner is reinforced when someone loses weight, whether from a GLP-1 or any other reason.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The depth there was already thin even before the Dexter Lawrence trade or Roy Robertson-Harris injury.
    — Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of thin
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
Definition of bony
Adjective
  • Some 17-year-olds are awkward, gangly teens who tend to do or say dumb things.
    — Caleb Otte, Los Angeles Times, 25 July 2026
  • Some people hate nandina, but that’s the old varieties that get humongous and gangly.
    — Arricca Elin SanSone, Southern Living, 20 June 2026
Definition of gangly
Adjective
  • Researchers also examined measurement techniques for slender flying-wing shapes.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
  • Guests at Brookfield Zoo can identify her in Dolphin Bay by her distinctive features, including faint white lines along the sides of her head and chest, pink coloration on the underside of her slender rostrum, and gray ventral side.
    — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of slender

Browse Nearby Words

spindling
spindly
spindrift
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Cite this Entry

“Spindly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spindly. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of spindly for Spanish Speakers

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