emaciated

adjective

ema·​ci·​at·​ed i-ˈmā-shē-ˌā-təd  -ˈmā-sē- 

: very thin and feeble especially from lack of nutrition or illness

He was deadly pale and terribly emaciated, with the protruding, brilliant eyes of a man whose spirit was greater than his strength.

—Arthur Conan Doyle

My cheek had grown pale with study, and my person had become emaciated with confinement.

—Mary Shelley

Synonyms

• cadaverous
• gaunt
• haggard
• skeletal
• wasted

Examples of emaciated in a Sentence

the emaciated bodies of the survivors of the concentration camps

Recent Examples on the Web

The man, who has not been named, was found emaciated and told police he had been confined in the home since age 11. —Peter D'abrosca, Fox News, 21 Mar. 2025

Many of the hostages released by Hamas returned emaciated and malnourished and described harsh conditions in captivity. —Wafaa Shurafa, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025

In its turn, the Burger Court provided an emaciated conception of Brown’s meaning, one that permitted many non-southern jurisdictions to avoid pursuing desegregation programs. —Justin Driver, The Atlantic, 15 Mar. 2025

Woman charged with holding 'severely emaciated' stepson in captivity for over 20 years: Police However, a terrified pizza delivery driver happened to get there before authorities could respond and found the reptile in front of the customer’s home by accident. —Jon Haworth, ABC News, 13 Mar. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1627, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for emaciated

• abbreviated
• accelerated
• accentuated
• accommodated
• acculturated
• accumulated
• acidulated
• adjudicated
• administrated
• adulterated
• affiliated
• agglomerated