lanky
Americanadjective
adjective
Other Word Forms
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.
Lanky heartthrob Jacob Elordi, up for best supporting actor, offered a similarly toned down vibe at an impromptu photo shoot.
From Barron's • Feb. 11, 2026
Lanky, hunched and fragile, Skarsgård’s version isn’t quite as salt-of the-earth, although he’s captured his rapid patter and the burning menace in his eyes.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 8, 2026
Lanky and low-key, Davidson is a towering figure in Seattle art.
From Seattle Times • Feb. 29, 2024
Lanky, he wore his hair in long braids, two of which sloped down the sides of his face.
From Washington Post • May 18, 2022
Lanky, movie-obsessed Boaz, who knew her secrets and trusted her still, who had offered up his neck willingly, and remembered it, and would still look her in the eye, would kiss her.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
Definitions 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.
