bony

adjective

ˈbō-nē How to pronounce bony (audio)
variants also boney
Definition of bonynext
1
as in skinny
having a noticeably small amount of body fat that bony old horse may have been deliberately starved

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in barren
producing inferior or only a small amount of vegetation bony hills from which sheepherders eked out a meager existence

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 bony Then stand or sit while bending forward at the waist, pinching the soft part of the nose below the bony portion on both sides for 10 minutes. — Scott Lafee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 24 Jan. 2023 Riders follow the instructions of Redbeard (given via onboard audio), which include finding and counting gems along the shore, looking out for bony opponents in Skeleton Valley and participating in a seaworthy singalong near the finale. — Dewayne Bevil, Orlando Sentinel, 11 Jan. 2023 Santiago Calatrava is best known for bridges that leap and budgets that soar, for vast and bony white-steel structures that evoke high-tech ruins of the future and cause fiscal ruin in the present. — Curbed, 6 Dec. 2022 There are two types of fish, cartilaginous and bony. — Orlando Mayorquin, USA TODAY, 21 Oct. 2022 See All Example Sentences for bony
Recent Examples of Synonyms for bony
  1. skinny
  2. barren
  3. thin
  4. desolate
  5. slender
  6. impoverished
  7. lean
  8. poor
Adjective
  • This season, the slimmer silhouette and skinny fit was back again.
    — Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 6 July 2026
  • Rodríguez Castro wore light-blue skinny jeans, a tight, black Hugo Boss T-shirt and Hermes sneakers.
    — Romina Ruiz-Goiriena, USA Today, 6 July 2026
Definition of skinny
Adjective
  • The fires eviscerated many of the plants and trees in and around the burn zones, leaving behind barren lots and charred swaths of parkland.
    — Connor Sheets, Los Angeles Times, 26 June 2026
  • There are quite a few interesting options this summer, especially compared to last year’s barren goalie landscape that was headlined by veteran backups.
    — Jesse Granger, New York Times, 25 June 2026
Definition of barren
Adjective
  • The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.
    — STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 July 2026
  • Sprinkle the entire rug with a thin layer of baking soda and wait 20 minutes.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 5 July 2026
Definition of thin
Adjective
  • Walking around the tiny outpost offers an understanding of just how vast and desolate this arid part of the country can be.
    — Maryam Siddiqi, Travel + Leisure, 30 June 2026
  • In the summer it had been packed with people out on the streets, by the fall is was desolate.
    — Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 27 June 2026
Definition of desolate
Adjective
  • On the Fourth of July, New York Harbor will fill with white canvas and slender hulls.
    — Christopher Bonanos, Curbed, 30 June 2026
  • This is a comfortable, sleek set of ankle weight cuffs, ideal for those with smaller, more slender ankles.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 29 June 2026
Definition of slender
Adjective
  • This British drama series follows a woman named Emma over the course of more than six decades of her life, from the 1900s through the 1970s, working her way from impoverished maid to the world’s richest woman.
    — Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 4 July 2026
  • Known as a Neglected Tropical Disease because of the lack of funding to fight it, schistosomiasis is a serious challenge for impoverished communities.
    — William McCarthy, NPR, 4 July 2026
Definition of impoverished
Adjective
  • Adding non-starchy vegetables, lean protein, and healthy fats to pasta salad or potato salad can reduce their glycemic impact.
    — Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 6 July 2026
  • Created in consultation with nutritionist and food consultant Ankita Jalori, the dishes on offer use millets, whole grains, lean proteins like chicken and fish, and low-fat dairy options, such as goat milk.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 July 2026
Definition of lean
Adjective
  • Overflowing poor drainage areas in urban areas of northwest Hickory and in the Northlakes area of Caldwell County.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 7 July 2026
  • There was a lot of poor decision-making with this match, on and off the pitch.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Definition of poor

Browse Nearby Words

bon voyages
bony
boo
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Cite this Entry

“Bony.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/bony. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on bony

Nglish: Translation of bony for Spanish Speakers

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