gaunt

¹ American  

[gawnt] / gɔnt /

adjective

gaunter, gauntest

1. extremely thin and bony; haggard and drawn, as from great hunger, weariness, or torture; emaciated.

   Synonyms:

   rawboned, angular, lank, scrawny, spare, lean

   Antonyms:

   stout

2. bleak, desolate, or grim, as places or things.

   a gaunt, windswept landscape.

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Gaunt ² American  

[gawnt, gahnt] / gɔnt, gɑnt /

noun

1. John of. John of Gaunt.

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gaunt British  

/ ɡɔːnt /

adjective

1. bony and emaciated in appearance

2. (of places) bleak or desolate

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Related Words

See thin.

Other Word Forms

• gauntly adverb
• gauntness noun

Etymology

Origin of gaunt

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English, probably from Old French gaunet, jaunet “yellowish,” derivative of gaune, jaune “yellow,” from Latin galbinus “greenish-yellow”

Explanation

The word gaunt means extremely bony or thin, often from weariness, suffering, or hunger. A place that is described as gaunt may look deserted, harsh, or just very plain. A stark, desolate landscape may be described as gaunt: harsh, barren, seemingly lifeless. If a group of hikers get lost for weeks in such a wilderness, surviving with little food or warmth, they would likely start to look gaunt: haggard, perhaps a bit skeletal. When they spy a gaunt old fortress on a hilltop, they'd probably ignore the fact that it looks abandoned, gloomy, even forbidding, and knock on the door to seek help. Don't worry — the gaunt-faced woman inside the mansion turns out to be a lovely person, who offers warmth and refuge.

Example Sentences

The earl of Arundel’s tomb expresses the grim realities beneath the era’s facade of chivalry: Above, he is depicted resplendent in full armor; below, as a gaunt cadaver.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 11, 2026

Emerging gaunt and pale from Israeli custody last week, the teenager bore little resemblance to the photos that had been circulated to campaign for his release.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 3, 2025

Based in leafy south-west London, the Victorian-era facility - with its gaunt brick walls and a dark intimidating entrance - is one of the largest in the UK.

From BBC • Nov. 6, 2025

Other prisoners have appeared gaunt and almost unrecognisable.

From Barron's • Oct. 21, 2025

He grew thin and gaunt, and the angles and bones of his face and hands jutted like sharp peaks from beneath his skin.

From "The Chosen" by Chaim Potok

Related Words

• angular
• emaciated
• thin