SKELETAL Synonyms: 51 Similar and Opposite Words

skeletal

adjective

ˈske-lə-tᵊl

Definition of skeletal

as in gaunt

suffering extreme weight loss as a result of hunger or disease the stray kitten's skeletal body was pitiful to look at

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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 skeletal Scientists liken the difference to comparing an MRI, which highlights soft tissues, with an X-ray that emphasizes skeletal structures. — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026 But the archaeologists who excavated the new skeletal fragments from Shanidar Cave in the Kurdistan region of Iraq say the fossils weave a complex tale of Neanderthal life and death, beyond what appeared to be deliberate violence. — Katie Hunt, CNN Money, 15 Oct. 2026 Leon has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, skeletal dysplasia and microcephaly. — Becca Savransky, Idaho Statesman, 15 Oct. 2026 Its signature Song Bag translates the skeletal geometry of traditional Chinese kites into a soft, structured leather vessel. — Footwear News, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for skeletal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for skeletal

Adjective

The group last played a public show on July 18 in Valdosta, Georgia, following an uneven few months where Love appeared gaunt and sang in a raspy, diminished voice.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
Apple was widely criticized in the late 2000s for not volunteering more information about Jobs’ health, especially as concerns about his gaunt appearance battered the company’s shares.

— Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of gaunt

Adjective

The songs on Purdy also have the tone of journal entries, detailing haggard trips to the grocery store, daydreams about his young daughters’ glamorous adult lives, and observations about the banality of oppression.

— Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
Xbox, despite its increasingly haggard reputation, has announced backwards compatibility for PC.

— Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Definition of haggard

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skedaddling

skeletal

skeleton

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“Skeletal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skeletal. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of skeletal

adjective

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