scrawny

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective scrawny contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of scrawny are gaunt, lanky, lank, lean, rawboned, skinny, 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 could gaunt be used to replace scrawny?

The words gaunt and scrawny can be used in similar contexts, but gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

When is lank a more appropriate choice than scrawny?

Although the words lank and scrawny have much in common, lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

In what contexts can lanky take the place of scrawny?

The synonyms lanky and scrawny are sometimes interchangeable, but lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

When is it sensible to use lean instead of scrawny?

While the synonyms lean and scrawny are close in meaning, lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

When might rawboned be a better fit than scrawny?

While in some cases nearly identical to scrawny, rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

When can spare be used instead of scrawny?

In some situations, the words spare and scrawny are roughly equivalent. However, spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

Examples 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 scrawny Industrial breeding turned the scrawny, two-and-a-half-pound chickens of the 1920s into today’s six-pounders. Yasmin Tayag, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2024 Here, the body of a scrawny Jesus gushes blood, sending a rivulet of scarlet down his crucifix and onto the ground below. Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 11 Oct. 2024 And Texas football players in the fourth and fifth grade were not necessarily respectful of a scrawny kid with a violin. Ed Masley, The Arizona Republic, 18 Sep. 2024 The 17-inch wheels and radial rubber are nearly twice as wide as the classic Mustang’s scrawny 15-inch originals, with markedly better grip. Lawrence Ulrich, Robb Report, 13 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for scrawny 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scrawny
Adjective
  • Something is wrong when a police officer who threatened to kill my son comes to my home and, without hesitating, without negotiating with a sick, skinny 21-year-old in crisis, carries out his threat and shoots my son five times.
    Carol Marbin Miller, Miami Herald, 26 Jan. 2025
  • The woman walked past, shuffling her skinny legs with determination.
    Samanta Schweblin, The New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Mother Nature removes this thin coating of cement/lime paste over time, exposing the sand color to your eyes.
    Tim Carter, Hartford Courant, 25 Jan. 2025
  • The Verge’s Allison Johnson joins David and Nilay to talk about the vibes at Unpacked, where the thinner S25 Edge inspired raucous enthusiasm, and where Samsung tried to make the case that AI will make your phone better even if there’s not much new hardware to speak of.
    David Pierce, The Verge, 24 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • Physically strong for his tender age and slender frame, Yalcouye demonstrated a strong defensive mindset, excelling as a ball-winning midfielder.
    Andy Naylor, The Athletic, 21 Jan. 2025
  • No matter the quality of what exists of the film today, piercing through the celluloid is the indelible creepy image of Schreck and his slender 6-foot 3-inch frame as Orlok.
    Tim Lammers, Forbes, 24 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near scrawny

Cite this Entry

“Scrawny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scrawny. Accessed 30 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on scrawny

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!