spindly

adjective

spin·​dly ˈspin(d)-lē How to pronounce spindly (audio)
ˈspin-dᵊl-ē
spindlier; spindliest
1
: of a disproportionately tall or long and thin appearance that often suggests physical weakness
spindly legs
2
: frail or flimsy in appearance or structure
a spindly tower

Examples of spindly in a Sentence

spindly, underfed dogs roamed the poverty-stricken village
Recent Examples on the Web There is a kind of capillary action at work here, as the light is sucked out of the sky by spindly branches. Zachary Fine, The New Yorker, 28 June 2024 Inspired by the 87 spindly date palms planted near the crest of the ridge, the name took hold during a legal battle between Orange County housing developer Robert Maurer and the city in the 1980s and ’90s, according to the Wall Street Journal, which first reported the listing. Sandra Barrera, Orange County Register, 17 June 2024 Bruno, a loyal training partner since puppyhood to a hopeful Tour de France champion named Champion, was likewise designed with an eye to exaggeration: a boulder of a belly sits atop wobbling spindly extremities, his feebleness matching his beady eyes even tinier against his oversized nose. Charles Bramesco, Vulture, 5 Feb. 2024 As the brain ages, the long, spindly neuronal projections that transmit messages in and between regions that control urination can also lose their integrity and derail normal bladder function—a process that’s often accelerated in Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s disease. Emily Underwood, Smithsonian Magazine, 5 June 2024 See all Example Sentences for spindly 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'spindly.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1651, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of spindly was in 1651

Dictionary Entries Near spindly

Cite this Entry

“Spindly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spindly. Accessed 15 Jul. 2024.

Kids Definition

spindly

adjective
spin·​dly ˈspin-(d)lē How to pronounce spindly (audio)
-dᵊl-ē
spindlier; spindliest
: of a tall or long and thin appearance that often suggests physical weakness
spindly legs

More from Merriam-Webster on spindly

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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