wirier ˈwī-rē-ər How to pronounce wiry (audio) ; wiriest
1
a
archaic : made of wire
b
: resembling wire especially in form and flexibility
the wiry coat of the Irish terrier
wiry stems
c
of sound : produced by or suggestive of the vibration of wire
the violinist … often let his tone go nasal and wiryD. J. Henahan
2
: being lean, supple, and vigorous : sinewy
the wiry figure of a long-distance runnerPhoenix Flame
wirily adverb
wiriness noun

Examples of wiry in a Sentence

a man with long, wiry arms She was lean and wiry from years of working out. He has dark, wiry hair.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
The bikes are loud and fast, the drivers are an attractive mixture of confidence, wiry strength and adrenaline. James Raia, The Mercury News, 8 Dec. 2024 The tree made its first TV appearance on The Howdy Doody Show, and decorations went from cranberries and popcorn to red garland, white plastic globes, icicle lights and wiry white angel trumpeters. Kate Hogan, People.com, 5 Dec. 2024 The Wirehaired Pointing Griffon, though, has two coats of wiry, bristly fur making cold or wet conditions less bothersome. Jamie L. Lareau, Detroit Free Press, 27 Nov. 2024 The place is crammed, mostly with young people, but a wiry 5-foot-9 man in his late 30s has taken particular interest in the man in the Michigan sweatshirt. Joe Rexrode, The Athletic, 26 Aug. 2024 See all Example Sentences for wiry 

Word History

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of wiry was in 1588

Dictionary Entries Near wiry

Cite this Entry

“Wiry.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/wiry. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

Kids Definition

wiry

adjective
wirier ˈwī-rē-ər How to pronounce wiry (audio) ; wiriest
1
: resembling wire in form and flexibility
wiry stems
2
: being slender yet strong and muscular
a wiry physique

More from Merriam-Webster on wiry

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