gangly

adjective

gan·​gly ˈgaŋ-glē 

ganglier; gangliest

1

a

: tall and thin and moving with a loose-jointed awkwardness : lanky, gangling

It is a cool night in San Jose, and gangly teenagers stream toward the Gunderson gym.

—Chris Ballard

b

: long and thin

His linen suit was appropriately rumpled … and his gangly legs were jacked up against the glove box, as he resisted suggestions to slide his seat back.

—Cara Buckley

2

of a plant : having a tall and sparse appearance : lacking fullness

These tall (to 8 feet), sometimes gangly shrubs bear cup-shaped, strong-scented flowers.

—Michael MacCaskey

Synonyms

• gangling
• lanky
• rangy
• spindling
• spindly

Examples of gangly in a Sentence

a gangly teenager who was born to play varsity basketball

Recent Examples on the Web

Dern is volcanic, her movements childlike and untamed in their gangly abrasiveness. —Matthew Jacobs, Vulture, 8 May 2024

So named for his gangly appearance by teammates at Miami, the Hall of Fame linebacker spent one all-pro season with the Packers in 1974. —Journal Sentinel, 27 Jan. 2024

Eventually, the group’s number is reduced to one: a gangly, smart-mouthed junior named Angus Tully, played by newcomer Dominic Sessa in an exceptionally impressive debut. —Ann Hornaday, Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2023

The gangly wood stork, with its long legs and bald head, is none of those. —Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA TODAY, 19 Feb. 2023

Word History

Etymology

probably from gangl(ing) + -y entry 1

First Known Use

1871, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Kids Definition

gangly

adjective

gan·​gly ˈgaŋ-glē 

ganglier; gangliest

: loosely and awkwardly built : lanky