as in gaunt
being tall, thin and usually loose-jointed
spindly, underfed dogs roamed the poverty-stricken village
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of spindly
His self-presentation is not that of a postmodern auteur, poised to trounce his critics, but of a goofy man off to the side with spectator shoes, spindly legs, and ginormous hands.
—
Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 24 June 2025
Planting sun-loving plants in a shady site usually results in plants with spindly growth and few, if any, flowers.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
But the tall, spindly lander face-planted in a crater near the moon's south pole and was declared dead within hours.
—Arkansas Online, 6 June 2025
The exterior was refreshed with a new face and tail, to give it a more modern look than the spindly grille of the pre-facelift model.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for spindly
Zachary Fine, New Yorker, 24 June 2025
Planting sun-loving plants in a shady site usually results in plants with spindly growth and few, if any, flowers.
—Tim Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 8 June 2025
But the tall, spindly lander face-planted in a crater near the moon's south pole and was declared dead within hours.
—Arkansas Online, 6 June 2025
The exterior was refreshed with a new face and tail, to give it a more modern look than the spindly grille of the pre-facelift model.
—Will Sabel Courtney, Robb Report, 5 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for spindly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for spindly
Adjective
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Then a gaunt old girl lit out over the ridge, and the others broke and followed.—
Fred C. Mercer,
Outdoor Life,
14 Aug. 2025
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Larry Shapiro, Calgary, Alberta Hamas has no conscience Seeing the sickly, gaunt faces of the three Israeli hostages released by Hamas in Gaza on Feb. 8 presented a clear picture of the loathing and deep hostility their abductors felt for them.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
15 Feb. 2025
Adjective
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During the survey, researchers noticed a skinny fish and identified it as a dorozome lizardfish, the first record of the species from Malaysia.—
Aspen Pflughoeft,
Miami Herald,
29 Aug. 2025
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One of our favorite J.Crew denim jackets is on sale for less than $100, while a classic pair of Levi’s skinny jeans is 64 percent off.—
Rylee Johnston,
People.com,
25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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The long, lanky edge-setter forced a pressure early in the game to get Texans QB Davis Mills to throw an off-the-mark target down the field.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
16 Aug. 2025
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The same car described in public advisories as the suspect’s vehicle was parked in front of Lupita’s Beauty Salon & Barber Shop, where a lanky man with stringy blonde hair walked in and asked for a fade.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
1 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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Only a thin layer of dust brings you back to the present.—
Roger Naylor,
AZCentral.com,
29 Aug. 2025
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Wells Fargo estimates grocery could be a drag on Amazon’s operating income with each percentage point of U.S. market share potentially costing $2.5 billion to $3 billion annually due to thin margins.—
Paulina Likos,
CNBC,
28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
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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
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Differences in Adult Bones That being said, some adults are bonier than others.—
Sam Walters,
Discover Magazine,
3 Nov. 2023
Adjective
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Between them, the gangly mods kept alive the fading tradition of feuding musical geniuses, a path that Paul McCartney and John Lennon had paved before them.—
Rob Picheta,
CNN Money,
28 Aug. 2025
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And for the current Bulls front office, that prototype is crystal clear — gangly, teenage wings who offer the potential of versatile playmaking in a raw, unproven package.—
Julia Poe,
Chicago Tribune,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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Istanbul pulses with history—its skyline crowned with slender minarets, grand domes, and bustling bazaars filled with copperware, carpets, and the scent of roasted chestnuts.—
Lewis Nunn,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
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Ware brought along a friend, a slender man introduced as Catfish who had his own land management problems.—
Andrea Riquier,
USA Today,
10 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Spindly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/spindly. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.
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