lanky

adjective

ˈlaŋ-kē 

lankier; lankiest

: ungracefully tall and thin

lankily

ˈlaŋ-kə-lē 

adverb

lankiness

ˈlaŋ-kē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• gangling
• gangly
• rangy
• spindling
• spindly

Choose the Right Synonym for lanky

lean, spare, lank, lanky, gaunt, rawboned, scrawny, skinny mean thin because of an absence of excess flesh.

lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken

skinny street urchins

Examples of lanky in a Sentence

the lanky basketball star was great at slam-dunking

Recent Examples on the Web

The footage is grainy but effective, though most of the live track is played over still photos from the show, John shirtless under overalls and Lennon lanky and bespectacled. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 14 Dec. 2024

The lanky left-hander hurled six shutout innings in Game 6 of the 2021 World Series on the night the Atlanta Braves clinched the championship over the Houston Astros. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 11 Dec. 2024

Barring a trio of lanky bullies, Benny’s classmates don’t judge him based on his weight. —Carlos Aguilar, Variety, 4 Dec. 2024

Jeff Goldblum plays the Wizard of Oz, a lanky charmer who might be a jerk at best and a puppet of fascists at worst. —Stephanie Zacharek, TIME, 20 Nov. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1818, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

lanky

adjective

ˈlaŋ-kē 

lankier; lankiest

: being tall, thin, and usually loose-jointed

a lanky teenager

lankily

-kə-lē 

adverb

lankiness

-kē-nəs 

noun