rawboned

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective rawboned contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of rawboned are gaunt, lanky, lank, lean, scrawny, skinny, and spare. While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

When might gaunt be a better fit than rawboned?

While the synonyms gaunt and rawboned are close in meaning, gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

When is it sensible to use lank instead of rawboned?

The words lank and rawboned are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

When can lanky be used instead of rawboned?

In some situations, the words lanky and rawboned are roughly equivalent. However, lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

When could lean be used to replace rawboned?

Although the words lean and rawboned have much in common, lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

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

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

a scrawny chicken
skinny street urchins

When is spare a more appropriate choice than rawboned?

While in some cases nearly identical to rawboned, spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

Examples 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 rawboned Mitsouko softened Chypre’s rawboned extremes, imparting a creamy peach glow to the whole. Noy Thrupkaew, Washington Post, 21 Apr. 2021 Kirschling, a rawboned young man from Wisconsin, had written a master’s thesis at Columbia about long-term productivity decline in New York City’s mass transit. William Finnegan, The New Yorker, 2 July 2018 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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for rawboned
Adjective
  • This edgy look works great for someone who wants to make their face look a bit more angular, Simmonds says, as its shorter length adds width and balance to long or oval-shaped faces.
    Sam Escobar, Allure, 23 Nov. 2024
  • Its angular structure is a tribute to Gehry's IAC Building.
    Felix Bischof, theweek, 24 Oct. 2024
Adjective
  • European bay leaves are wide in shape and subtle in flavor, while bay leaves grown on the West Coast have a more slender shape and intense flavor.
    Alana Al-Hatlani, Southern Living, 28 Nov. 2024
  • Just one House seat has yet to be called: In California’s agricultural San Joaquin Valley, Democrat Adam Gray holds a slender lead over GOP Rep. John Duarte in the 13th Congressional District, but the race remains too close to call.
    Laura J. Nelson, Los Angeles Times, 27 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Yet hungry predators prowling the surface world would likely pose this biggest risk, and be sure to pick off any ground squirrels that made the mistake of exiting the nest during the lean, winter months when prey is scarce and there’s nowhere to hide.
    Lauren Leffer, Popular Science, 28 Nov. 2024
  • By starting lean and expanding resources as demand increases, companies can optimize their cloud spend and maintain better cost control as they grow.​​​​ - Gabriel Gonzalez, Edenred 17.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes, 27 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Dream Pairs Knee-High Boots Tall boots are a versatile style staple that works with everything from floaty mini dresses to skinny jeans, as evidenced by this Jennifer Garner look.
    Jamie Allison Sanders, People.com, 20 Nov. 2024
  • Though skinny jeans may have stepped back for roomier styles, stretch denim still holds a special place in the hearts of fashion lovers for its unmatched comfort and versatility.
    SJ Studio, Sourcing Journal, 19 Nov. 2024
Adjective
  • Lift your hips off the ground and place a block underneath your sacrum, the widest, boniest part of your pelvis.
    Cory Martin, Verywell Health, 16 Oct. 2024
  • Differences in Adult Bones That being said, some adults are bonier than others.
    Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 3 Nov. 2023
Adjective
  • Those efforts nonetheless take up many hours of screen time, and are padded out by even thinner material like Willis’ friend Fatty (Ronny Chieng) accidentally drawing crowds to Golden Palace by being overly rude to white patrons — a one-note joke sustained for too many beats.
    Alison Herman, Variety, 19 Nov. 2024
  • Rule 2: Modulate your own expectations, too Setting personal boundaries about budget and how many people to buy for can help gift-givers avoid stretching themselves too thin.
    Melinda Fakuade, Vox, 18 Nov. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near rawboned

Cite this Entry

“Rawboned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/rawboned. Accessed 3 Dec. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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