wiry

adjective

Definition of wirynext
as in scrawny

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

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 wiry And in a nation known for its tall people, the legendary Dutchman Johan Cruyff wasn’t exactly a giant at 5 feet 10 inches with a wiry frame. — Joshua P. Cohen, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026 Shola Jimoh continues to show promise as a wiry 18-year-old attacker with Inter Toronto and has impressed Marsch in previous Canada camps. — Joshua Kloke, New York Times, 7 July 2026 Those themes are compelling on paper, but they’re expressed through a confusing mix of abstraction and hyper-local specificity, hidden beneath biker rock riffs, and obscured through Allbrook’s wiry, wailing vocal delivery. — Cassidy Sollazzo, Pitchfork, 19 June 2026 In this rendition, the diabolical duo of Todd and Lovett are younger, more wiry, more tightly wound and thus more dangerous. — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 16 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for wiry
Recent Examples of Synonyms for wiry
  1. scrawny
  2. sinewy
  3. rawboned
  4. angular
  5. lean
  6. slender
  7. skinny
  8. thin
Adjective
  • The comedy of Gilligan’s Island often centered on the interactions between the scrawny, clueless Gilligan and the rotund, impatient skipper.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 5 Aug. 2026
  • In 1958, a scrawny 17-year-old Pele led Brazil to a World Cup title.
    — Jack Lang, New York Times, 1 July 2026
Definition of scrawny
Adjective
  • One of Nebel’s major works was still there — The Wrestlers, a huge plaster work of two sinewy men locked in combat, which had been his thesis as a student.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 30 July 2026
  • The White man, his sinewy, tattooed arms already beet-red from the sun, shouldered the cross from the center beam.
    — John Blake, CNN Money, 19 July 2026
Definition of sinewy
Adjective
  • Like so many in Lincoln Heights, this tiny, rawboned 89-year-old woman had lived through a time of gang violence, high crime and police oppression.
    — Brittny Mejia, Joe Mozingo, www.latimes.com, 3 Apr. 2018
Definition of rawboned
Adjective
  • Above the blade, a Long Spine Swedge carries the angular geometry toward the tip.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
  • In the upper level‘s murals gallery, the roof’s steep, angular geometry can’t be suppressed, forcing the lighting grid to skew into a kind of mechanical sky — a unique spatial experience itself.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of angular
Adjective
  • Does the advantage lean towards the alligator in the water and the bear on land?
    — Sean Joseph OutKick, FOXNews.com, 6 Sep. 2026
  • A couple had sales for 80% lean beef ahead of the Labor Day weekend.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of lean
Adjective
  • The tall, slender Berry imagined, chronicled and lived out his vision of a self-sustaining community in which no one had to ask where their food came from or the names of their neighbors.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Several other curved, slender bones were soon found nearby, according to pictures shared with the station.
    — Elizabeth Wolfe, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
Definition of slender
Adjective
  • Her humdrum life gives way to beach bonfires at sunset (lensed by Tudor Vladimir Panduru and Fabian Gamper in stunning dusky blues and pinks) and skinny-dipping in the river.
    — Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
  • These ankle-length skinny jeans come in a dark wash similar to the actress’s, as well as seven other shades.
    — Melony Forcier, InStyle, 29 Aug. 2026
Definition of skinny
Adjective
  • Deposition systems add extremely thin layers of material onto a silicon wafer.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
  • That’s the thin line between moving on to play for an NFC championship and trudging into the heaviest first stage of the offseason.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of thin

Browse Nearby Words

wirra
wiry
wisdom
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Wiry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/wiry. Accessed 8 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All