Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective lanky contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of lanky are gaunt, lank, lean, rawboned, scrawny, skinny, and spare. While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

When can gaunt be used instead of lanky?

Although the words gaunt and lanky have much in common, gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

When is lank a more appropriate choice than lanky?

The synonyms lank and lanky are sometimes interchangeable, but lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

When would lean be a good substitute for lanky?

The words lean and lanky can be used in similar contexts, but lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

When could rawboned be used to replace lanky?

While in some cases nearly identical to lanky, rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

How do scrawny and skinny relate to one another, in the sense of lanky?

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

a scrawny chicken
skinny street urchins

Where would spare be a reasonable alternative to lanky?

The meanings of spare and lanky largely overlap; however, spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

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 lanky Working out must be tricky for someone with CIPA, and Quaid has a tall, lanky quality that suggests a smiley scarecrow — but what a smile, combining the best of parents Meg Ryan and Dennis Quaid! Peter Debruge, Variety, 8 Mar. 2025 Much credit should go to the lanky redhead, who navigated the tricky tone of the post-wildfire Oscars as nimbly as any host of the 21st century could have. Nate Jones, Vulture, 8 Mar. 2025 The tall, lanky right-hander’s fastball hit 99 MPH on multiple occasions but at times failed to hit the mark. Andrew Wagner, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025 In the middle is Toledo, 32, lanky and thoughtful as always, with an N95 mask and long hair hiding much of his face. Simon Vozick-Levinson, Rolling Stone, 4 Mar. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lanky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lanky
Adjective
  • In the distance, a line of tall gaunt leafless trees becomes visible.
    Ritesh Mehta, IndieWire, 17 Feb. 2025
  • Stepping out from a white van, the Israeli civilian looked gaunt and frightened.
    Mick Krever, CNN, 30 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Ron Book, the Trust’s chairman — a 5-foot-8 septuagenarian, who that night sported ripped skinny jeans and designer blue sneakers — marched up to them.
    Max Klaver, Miami Herald, 20 Mar. 2025
  • After years of skinny jeans and wide-leg cuts taking over the market, the bootcut is having a renaissance, thanks partly to Kendrick Lamar wearing a pair during the halftime of Super Bowl LIX.
    Maureen Lee Lenker, EW.com, 20 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • That’s because the twisty, spindly room centerpiece with large, pointy, deep green leaves is no ordinary tree.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2025
  • In a black-and-white photo that serves as Cyrus’ new profile picture on Instagram, the backlit singer poses in a spindly, avant-garde headpiece while staring directly at the camera — though her face is entirely blacked out by the high contrast of the artwork.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 17 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • The rangy second-year is unassumingly fifth in defensive win shares this season.
    Steven Louis Goldstein, The Athletic, 25 Feb. 2025
  • The Celtics picked their spots against the impossibly rangy Wembanyama, who entered Wednesday with 75 more blocks than any other NBA player (and got another one early on an Al Horford layup attempt).
    Zack Cox, Boston Herald, 13 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • About a month after your peach tree blooms, thin out fruit.
    Leanne Potts, Better Homes & Gardens, 26 Mar. 2025
  • Staying hydrated helps thin mucus and clear congestion.6 Adults should aim to drink between 9 and 13 cups of fluids daily.
    Rachael Zimlich, BSN, RN, Verywell Health, 26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Nate leaps into action-hero mode, and the film’s mayhem blowouts include a multi-weapon melee in a restaurant kitchen, leaving our gangly hero horribly burned but quite chipper about it, since his adversary is less fortunate.
    Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, 12 Mar. 2025
  • The gangly physicality of Pellerin’s performance also helps keep us guessing about how far Matt will go and whether his victories will hold.
    David Rooney, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Adjective
  • Scattered across a chain of subtropical islands in southwestern Japan, buried under rocks, or deep within the region’s humid soil, researchers discovered seven new species with segmented bodies and dozens of slender legs.
    Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 19 Mar. 2025
  • Plus, its slender base can slide under chairs, sofas, and beds, minimizing its footprint and keeping its contents as close as needed.
    Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 18 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Lanky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lanky. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.

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