lanky
Americanadjective
-
lankier,
comparative
-
lankiest
superlative
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of lanky
Explanation
Use the adjective lanky to describe someone who’s tall, thin, and a little bit gawky. A lanky person is not only tall and thin but also a little bit awkward. You wouldn’t use lanky to describe a tall, slender person who moves gracefully. Instead use lanky to describe someone who moves clumsily on his long limbs. You’ve probably seen a lanky basketball player who moves awkwardly but is still able to make the play, or a lanky teenager who seems to be made up entirely of long legs and long arms.
Vocabulary lists containing lanky
15 Synonyms for "Thin": An Eileen Ford (1922-2014) Tribute List
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"The Book Thief" by Markus Zusak, Part Eight
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Life Is So Good
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Britt is lanky and friendly and given to saying things in conversation like “God works in mysterious ways” without a trace of irony.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
One name you might begin with is Timothée Chalamet — the lanky 30-year-old celebrity who people currently love to hate.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 9, 2026
Flament grew up in Belgium, but, finding no way into the French club system, moved to Loughborough University for its rugby programme, arriving as a lanky fly-half and initially playing for the university's fifth team.
From BBC ● Feb. 26, 2026
But he had to work hard to tame the lanky 24-year-old, who showed his potential with a maiden ATP title last year.
From Barron's ● Jan. 18, 2026
Okeoma had brought his lanky cousin, Dr. Nwala.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
With N’Faly Dante on the bench in foul trouble, the athletic big man bulled his way through Oregon’s lankier frontcourt players for a trio of three-point plays.
From Seattle Times ● Feb. 2, 2023
For starters, Floyd is taller and lankier than Fowler, who finally channeled his tremendous physical gifts into a career-high 11 1/2 sacks and 16 quarterback hits last season.
From Washington Times ● May 11, 2020
“We find it works better on taller, lankier golfers,” Sherburne said.
From Golf Digest ● Apr. 30, 2019
Watch how Baryshnikov sinks into his knees, while the lankier Hines stays more upright.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 8, 2018
He was thinner and lankier than she remembered and looked as though he would break in two if he sat down abruptly.
From "Half of a Yellow Sun" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Brittany Davis longed for a big dog, and she had her heart set on one of the largest and lankiest of all: a Great Dane.
From Washington Post ● May 12, 2022
With their length across the roster, the Bucks possess one of the lankiest teams in the NBA — as well as one of the best players in the league.
From Washington Post ● Jan. 6, 2018
The Wizards made defense look fun Monday night, trading feats of athleticism with one of the lankiest and sprightly teams in the NBA.
From Washington Post ● Nov. 20, 2017
First, no other quadrupeds underwent such a conversion: the giraffe remained the lankiest thing around.
From The New Yorker ● May 17, 2016
The second was the tallest and lankiest fellow in the whole forest.
From The Marvellous History of the Shadowless Man and The Cold Heart by Adelbert von Chamisso
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Get a wordDefinitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
