SKINNY Synonyms: 137 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'skinny' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of skinny are gaunt , lanky , lank , lean , rawboned , scrawny , and spare . While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality. // a scrawny chicken // skinny street urchins

Q: When is 'gaunt' a more appropriate choice than 'skinny'?

The meanings of gaunt and skinny largely overlap; however, gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering. // a prisoner's gaunt face

Q: When is it sensible to use 'lank' instead of 'skinny'?

While the synonyms lank and skinny are close in meaning, lank implies tallness as well as leanness. // the lank legs of the heron

Q: Where would 'lanky' be a reasonable alternative to 'skinny'?

In some situations, the words lanky and skinny are roughly equivalent. However, lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness. // a lanky youth, all arms and legs

Q: When can 'lean' be used instead of 'skinny'?

While in some cases nearly identical to skinny , lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours. // a lean racehorse

Q: When might 'rawboned' be a better fit than 'skinny'?

The synonyms rawboned and skinny are sometimes interchangeable, but rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment. // a rawboned farmer

Q: When could 'spare' be used to replace 'skinny'?

The words spare and skinny are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise. // the gymnast's spare figure

skinny 1 of 2

adjective

ˈski-nē

Definition of skinny

as in thin

being of less than usual width the tree swing was supported only by a couple of skinny branches

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in slender

having a noticeably small amount of body fat her grandmother was always insisting that she was too skinny and never tired of trying to force more food on her

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

skinny

2 of 2

noun

slang

as in scoop

information not generally available to the public a TV show that offers all the skinny on Tinseltown and the stars that light it up

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective skinny contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of skinny are gaunt, lanky, lank, lean, rawboned, scrawny, and spare. While all these words mean "thin because of an absence of excess flesh," scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken

skinny street urchins

When is gaunt a more appropriate choice than skinny?

The meanings of gaunt and skinny largely overlap; however, gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

When is it sensible to use lank instead of skinny?

While the synonyms lank and skinny are close in meaning, lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

Where would lanky be a reasonable alternative to skinny?

In some situations, the words lanky and skinny are roughly equivalent. However, lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

When can lean be used instead of skinny?

While in some cases nearly identical to skinny, lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

When might rawboned be a better fit than skinny?

The synonyms rawboned and skinny are sometimes interchangeable, but rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

When could spare be used to replace skinny?

The words spare and skinny are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, 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 skinny

Adjective

As fashion keeps getting skinnier, there are a few designers who are still fighting the good fight. — Lucy Maguire, Vogue, 19 Oct. 2026 Related Stories Arriving to Southwark Crown Court, Brand wore a grey suit, white shirt and grey skinny tie. — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026

Noun

While ankle-hugging skinnies aren't all the rage just yet, slimmer shapes are easier than ever to find. — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 18 Feb. 2026 And while many might be reluctant to close the time capsule door on their beloved skinnies, some of us are sighing with relief that the current denim trend is comfy enough for travel. — Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 11 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for skinny

Recent Examples of Synonyms for skinny

Adjective

With fewer trainees at the start of the talent pipeline, organizations are likely to face a thinner shortlist for the CFO seat in the future.

— Sam Birchall, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026
The Rams are already thin at receiver in the wake of a hamstring injury suffered by Davante Adams during the Rams’ 18-16 defeat by the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday.

— Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of thin

Adjective

However, the Camille features a discreet and comfortable one-inch heel for a modern and slender silhouette that lifts the feet slightly off the ground.

— Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 20 Oct. 2026
Some of them have panoramic views of white windmills, which dot the coastline of the Taiwan Strait like slender sentries.

— Gideon Lewis-Kraus, New Yorker, 19 Oct. 2026

Definition of slender

Noun

The kiosk will serve a New Zealand-style ice cream that involves blending a scoop of ice cream or frozen yogurt with a scoop of fresh fruit with a special machine into a soft serve treat.

— Chris Higgins, Kansas City Star, 24 Oct. 2026
Jackson Drug After a day hiking, skiing, or shopping, nothing hits quite like a scoop of ice cream.

— Lindsay Cohn, Vogue, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of scoop

Adjective

Those qualities are attractive, but concentrating exclusively on them directs many investors toward the same narrow set of service companies.

— Chris Russo, Sportico.com, 24 Oct. 2026
The winning architecture is a stack of narrow intelligences pointed at what each one is good at, coordinated through a harness that knows which one to use when.

— Stephen Messer, Fortune, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of narrow

Noun

Here’s a quick primer on the leading agents and tips for how to start.

— Marty Swant, Washington Post, 27 Oct. 2026
Police officials credited community cooperation for accelerating the case, citing a substantial influx of tips and public digital evidence submitted in the hours following the gunfire.

— Eric Mack, FOXNews.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of tip

Adjective

Above its three-story concrete lower walls the gallery’s structure becomes a lean, self-supporting steel diagrid (think of a giant Erector Set) that wraps around the orbiter without interior walls or columns.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 27 Oct. 2026
Centralizing institutional knowledge in a small number of staff produces a leaner organization.

— Erik Clarke, Forbes.com, 26 Oct. 2026

Definition of lean

Noun

While rumors in Haiti persist that the men may have been beheaded by the gangs, Bukele described them as being taken hostage.

— Jacqueline Charles, Miami Herald, 23 Oct. 2026
In the downtown community, there had been rumors of a reopening over the years, but that seemed less likely as time went on.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of rumor

Browse Nearby Words

skinning

skinny

skins

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Style

“Skinny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skinny. Accessed 29 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of skinny

adjective

noun

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Synonyms of skinny

adjective

noun

Synonym Chooser

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Cite this Entry

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