wiry

adjective

ˈwī(-ə)r-ē 

wirier ˈwī-rē-ər  ; wiriest

1

a

archaic : made of wire

b

: resembling wire especially in form and flexibility

the wiry coat of the schnauzer

wiry stems

c

of sound : produced by or suggestive of the vibration of wire

The violist … often let his tone go nasal and wiry.

—D. J. Henahan

2

: being lean, supple, and vigorous : sinewy

… the wiry figure of a long distance runner.

—Phoenix Flame

wirily

ˈwī-rə-lē 

adverb

wiriness

ˈwī-rē-nəs 

noun

Examples of wiry in a Sentence

a man with long, wiry arms

She was lean and wiry from years of working out.

He has dark, wiry hair.

Recent Examples on the Web

Two sixth-grade boys appeared, one tall and floppy-haired, the other wiry and blond. —Anna Wiener, New Yorker, 4 May 2026

Four wiry legs fold outward to deliver low, stable support, packing right up against the main body to fit neatly in a backpack compartment, bike pannier or kayak hatch. —C.c. Weiss may 03, New Atlas, 3 May 2026

Some of these spiny perennials grow on the ground, while others grow tall on thin, wiry trunks. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 27 Apr. 2026

On Fox News, Essayli, sporting a blue FBI windbreaker, hyped the arrest of Orellana, a quiet, wiry man with a long mane of coal-black hair. —A.c. Thompson, ProPublica, 14 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1588, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for wiry

• kyrie
• expiry
• inquiry

Kids Definition

wiry

adjective

ˈwī(ə)r-ē 

wirier ˈwī-rē-ər  ; wiriest

1

: resembling wire in form and flexibility

wiry stems

2

: being slender yet strong and muscular

a wiry physique