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 Porter has a similar lanky stature to Douglas, and Douglas is eager to teach, giving Porter a chance to learn a lot from Douglas in one year together. —Joe Buscaglia, The Athletic, 21 Feb. 2025 Tall, lanky corners are preferred by both Morgan and defensive coordinator Ejiro Evero. —Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 23 Jan. 2025 By Faith Karimi | CNN Irene Silverman was suspicious of the lanky young man renting an apartment in her limestone townhome in New York City. —Cnn.com Wire Service, The Mercury News, 19 Nov. 2024 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 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
  • 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
Definition of gaunt
Adjective
  • While perhaps not quite as controversial as skinny jeans or statement necklaces, peplum tops have had their fair share of lovers and haters.
    — Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Bieber's hair was pulled back from her face and gathered at the crown of her head, with two tendrils pulled out on either side to brush across her face and over her skinny sunglasses.
    — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 12 Mar. 2025
Definition of skinny
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
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
  • Consider spreading a very thin (¼-inch thick) layer of topsoil across the planting area before sowing seed according to label instructions.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 14 Mar. 2025
  • Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set Cozy Earth Cozy Earth Cozy Earth Bamboo Sheet Set $331 $265 Cozy Earth Pros Temperature-regulating Very thin and lightweight, but supersoft Lots of color options Cons Expensive Tend to wrinkle easily True to their name, these are some cozy AF sheets.
    — Kristin Canning, SELF, 14 Mar. 2025
Definition of thin
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
Definition of gangly
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
Definition of slender

Browse Nearby Words

lank
lanky
lantern
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Cite this Entry

“Lanky.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lanky. Accessed 28 Mar. 2025.

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