lanky

adjective

ˈlaŋ-kē How to pronounce lanky (audio)
Definition of lankynext
as in gaunt
being tall, thin and usually loose-jointed the lanky basketball star was great at slam-dunking

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Most importantly, there’s Gary Oldman, his lanky body thick with grime and Russian prison tattoos, snarling about his thirteen years in Azkaban. —David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 19 Nov. 2024 Magan is well aware of the success other long, lanky players who can shoot from the outside have had at Burlington Central. —Paul Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 15 Feb. 2025 The six-foot-tall, lanky, long hair, just zenith prototype beauty standard for my generation. —Hugh Grant, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2025 Pack the Pot Add mounding and trailing plants to the base of tall, lanky tropicals. —Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for lanky
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lanky
  1. gaunt
  2. skinny
  3. spindly
  4. rangy
  5. thin
  6. gangly
  7. slender
Adjective
  • Certain players, without their hair, could appear gaunt and impotent.
    — Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025
  • The gaunt appearance of three prisoners released last weekend has raised concerns about the physical condition of those still in captivity.
    — Michael Collins, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2025
Definition of gaunt
Adjective
  • Related Articles The courtyard outside the Polo Lounge was lit with heat lamps and scattered with waiters bearing trays of skinny margaritas, as well as red and white wine.
    — Leigh Nordstrom, WWD, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Whether that includes adding a tank top, small earrings, or skinny jeans is all up for personal choice.
    — Dan Perry, Newsweek, 1 Mar. 2025
Definition of skinny
Adjective
  • From one specimen’s spindly leg dangled a handwritten tag bearing the year of its death: 1917.
    — Corinne Purtill, Los Angeles Times, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Also prune off low-hanging branches and weak, spindly growth.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2025
Definition of spindly
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
Definition of rangy
Adjective
  • Crowds are also thin in the fall, and the mountain foliage views are breathtaking.
    — Trudy Haywood Saunders, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Chinese smartphone company Honor has released devices that fold up to be nearly as thin as an iPhone.
    — Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2025
Definition of thin
Adjective
  • 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
  • Bringing a skittish, awkward energy that contrasted with Letterman’s deadpan persona, O’Brien constantly made fun of his own gangly appearance and inappropriateness for the job.
    — Ashraf Khalil, Los Angeles Times, 16 Jan. 2025
Definition of gangly
Adjective
  • While some researchers have compared megalodon to a gigantic version of the stocky great white shark, others believe the species had a more slender body shape.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 9 Mar. 2025
  • Jana walked to the backyard, past Stephan’s burned and toppled basketball hoop, toward the pool, stepping over a strip of artificial grass, so green and bright, as if the fire had skipped over it, leaving a slender memory of what was.
    — Jeffrey Fleishman, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2025
Definition of slender

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Cite this Entry

“Lanky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lanky. Accessed 15 Mar. 2025.

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