lanky

adjective

ˈlaŋ-kē 

lankier; lankiest

: ungracefully tall and thin

lankily

ˈlaŋ-kə-lē 

adverb

lankiness

ˈlaŋ-kē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• gangling
• gangly
• rangy
• spindling
• spindly

Choose the Right Synonym for lanky

lean, spare, lank, lanky, gaunt, rawboned, scrawny, skinny mean thin because of an absence of excess flesh.

lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken

skinny street urchins

Examples of lanky in a Sentence

the lanky basketball star was great at slam-dunking

Recent Examples on the Web

As a tall, lanky receiver at 6-5, 195 pounds, Skinner is a decent route-runner who has speed and explosiveness to separate from defenders. —Antwan Staley, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2025

Romeo is a lanky boyish redhead (Niall Cunningham). —Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 29 Apr. 2025

The lanky, 6-foot-8 starter took it one step further Saturday and received an IV to help pump fluids into him before his start against Pittsburgh. —Benjamin Royer, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025

James Wood is this year’s Elly De La Cruz, a lanky, powerful hitter who can run like a gazelle and hit missiles (and also has a bit of a strikeout issue). —Eno Sarris, The Athletic, 24 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1818, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for lanky

• cranky
• hanky
• yankee

Kids Definition

lanky

adjective

ˈlaŋ-kē 

lankier; lankiest

: being tall, thin, and usually loose-jointed

a lanky teenager

lankily

-kə-lē 

adverb

lankiness

-kē-nəs 

noun