as in gaunt
being tall, thin and usually loose-jointed
a gangly teenager who was born to play varsity basketball
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Recent Examples of gangly
Later that year, shortly before I was born, Murphy -- then a gangly catcher with an erratic arm and power at the plate -- made his major league debut.
—
Rick Klein, ABC News, 5 Dec. 2025
An injured knee sidelined Misiorowski for the season, but Lallemand still considered the gangly teenager part of the team.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Between them, the gangly mods kept alive the fading tradition of feuding musical geniuses, a path that Paul McCartney and John Lennon had paved before them.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Indeed, at 6-foot-5 but hiding it under a gangly posture, the Australian star can seem younger than his 28 years.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gangly
Rick Klein, ABC News, 5 Dec. 2025
An injured knee sidelined Misiorowski for the season, but Lallemand still considered the gangly teenager part of the team.
—Andy McCullough, New York Times, 10 Oct. 2025
Between them, the gangly mods kept alive the fading tradition of feuding musical geniuses, a path that Paul McCartney and John Lennon had paved before them.
—Rob Picheta, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2025
Indeed, at 6-foot-5 but hiding it under a gangly posture, the Australian star can seem younger than his 28 years.
—Brent Lang, Variety, 20 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gangly
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gangly
Adjective
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In the courtroom, Alfortish’s face looked gaunt after spending roughly a year in prison, and his hair, thinning now, had gone white.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
We’re introduced to its uncanny backdrop through the eyes of protagonist Heinrich, or Hein (Paul Boche), a gaunt young man who returns by boat after 14 years away.—
Siddhant Adlakha,
Variety,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The lanky right-hander hasn’t won since beating the Chicago White Sox 14-2 on Opening Day, a span of five starts.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
25 Apr. 2026
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The lanky right-hander hasn't won since beating the Chicago White Sox 14-2 on Opening Day, a span of five starts.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Originally introduced in 2012, the concept was a bestseller between 2014 and 2019 while skinny jeans were still on trend.—
Sarah Jones,
Footwear News,
29 Apr. 2026
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And skinny labeling, which amounts to a carve-out tactic, is one way that Congress attempted to foster more competition and benefit consumers.—
Ed Silverman,
STAT,
28 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Putting full-sun plants in shade leads to spindly, weak growth and few flowers.—
Lauren Jarvis-Gibson,
Sacbee.com,
29 Apr. 2026
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Likewise, a spindly tomato in late July should be left alone.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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His rangy ball skills on the back end, as a two-high safety or nickel, will give Mike Macdonald options.—
Dane Brugler,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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Could long, rangy Toledo safety Emmanuel McNeil-Warren be there to be the quarterback of the secondary for Hafley, who has a track record of coaching defensive backs?—
David Furones,
Sun Sentinel,
24 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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These thin stainless steel cake testers are not only cheap to replace but also widely available.—
Jennifer Zyman,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
28 Apr. 2026
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That, along with the March trade that sent Sam Carrick to the Buffalo Sabres, would leave them painfully thin down the middle, with little center help coming up through the system.—
Vincent Z. Mercogliano,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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Lift your hips off the ground and place a block underneath your sacrum, the widest, boniest part of your pelvis.—
Cory Martin,
Verywell Health,
16 Oct. 2024
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Differences in Adult Bones That being said, some adults are bonier than others.—
Sam Walters,
Discover Magazine,
3 Nov. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Gangly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gangly. Accessed 3 May. 2026.
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