wiry

adjective

Definition of wirynext
as in scrawny

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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 These flowering annuals produce an abundance of summer blooms on wiry stems. — Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 16 July 2026 When an Instagram video with nearly 100 million views likened his appearance to a green onion — its wiry roots standing in as his hair — Haaland responded in the comments with a side-eyeing dog GIF. — Kaitlyn Huamani, Fortune, 13 July 2026 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 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
  • In contrast, Brady was scrawny, slow, and repeatedly picked last for games.
    — Jennifer Wilson, New Yorker, 21 Sep. 2026
  • 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
Definition of scrawny
Adjective
  • Putting his lean and sinewy physicality to disquieting use, McNairy makes Wilson both unreadable and coldly transparent, giving him equal parts menace and magnetism.
    — David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
  • 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
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
  • Napoleon Bonaparte signed his name with strong, angular lines and dramatic flourishes.
    — Harmeet Kaur, CNN Money, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Paszkowski penned the distinctive exterior, incorporating layered decks as a nod to Japanese pavilion architecture and a sleek, angular superstructure inspired by a katana.
    — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of angular
Adjective
  • Canned seafood can include lean protein, essential omega-3 fatty acids EPA and DPA, potassium, vitamin B-12, vitamin D, iron and calcium, according to Michelle Dudash, RDN, author of The Low-Carb Mediterranean Cookbook.
    — Jo Ann Liguori, Flow Space, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Our staff sees it as competitive, but most lean toward the NL’s top seed moving on to the Championship Series.
    — The Athletic MLB Staff, New York Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of lean
Adjective
  • Description This perennial member of the Fabaceae family produces long, slender vines that climb by twining or spread horizontally along the ground.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Also new, the Venantia collection reprised the codes of the Diane design but in slender proportions, while the Apolloni line inspired by an 18th-century travel bag expanded to include a luxe leather weekender.
    — Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of slender
Adjective
  • Viard has also reconnected with Hedi Slimane, whose skinny suits for Dior famously prompted Lagerfeld to lose more than 90 pounds.
    — Joelle Diderich, Footwear News, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Bootcut jeans are the perfect in-between for people like me who find skinny jeans too restricting and wide-leg jeans too baggy.
    — Bianca Kratky, Glamour, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of skinny
Adjective
  • BioNxt Solutions is developing a sublingual semaglutide thin-film platform and reported moving its program into active pharmaceutical development in 2026.
    — Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 8 Oct. 2026
  • The launch shows that Innovera can be cut into thin strips and woven without immediately losing its structure.
    — Alexandra Harrell, Footwear News, 8 Oct. 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 14 Oct. 2026.

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