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Synonyms

skinny

American  
[skin-ee] / ˈskɪn i /

adjective

skinnier, skinniest

  1. very lean or thin; emaciated.

    a skinny little kitten.
    Synonyms:
    scrawny, gaunt, lank

  2. of or like skin.

  3. unusually low or reduced; meager; minimal.

    skinny profits.

  4. (of an object) narrow or slender.

    skinny noodles.

  5. (of garments, especially pants) narrow and very tight-fitting.

    skinny jeans; a skinny tank top.

noun

  1. Slang.

    1. accurate information; data; facts.

    2. news, especially if confidential; gossip.

      Here's the skinny on the latest Hollywood scandal.
skinny British  
/ ˈskɪnɪ /

adjective

  1. lacking in flesh; thin

  2. consisting of or resembling skin

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • skinniness noun

Etymology

Origin of skinny

First recorded in 1565–75; skin + -y 1; skinny def. 6 is unclearly derived and perhaps a distinct word

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.

England's Ashes coaching staff was too skinny and they got key selection decisions wrong.

From BBC • Mar. 20, 2026

Iowa farmer Lance Lillibridge told AFP that cattle producers have been "living off very skinny margins" for years.

From Barron's • Feb. 15, 2026

The second, known as "skinny fat," involves a high overall fat burden in people who do not appear severely obese by traditional standards.

From Science Daily • Jan. 28, 2026

I was a skinny Brazilian guy who didn’t speak Spanish at all.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 11, 2025

The magistrate was skinny under his coat, balding but bearded, and the skin on his face was yellowy and pockmarked.

From Anya and the Dragon by Sofiya Pasternack

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.