spindly

American  

[spind-lee] / ˈspɪnd li /

adjective

spindlier, spindliest

1. long or tall, thin, and usually frail.

   The colt wobbled on its spindly legs.

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spindly British  

/ ˈspɪndlɪ /

adjective

1. tall, slender, and frail; attenuated

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Etymology

Origin of spindly

First recorded in 1645–55; spindle + -y ¹

Explanation

Use the adjective spindly for people or objects that are thin and lanky. A newborn foal looks so vulnerable, with its spindly legs, but it's almost immediately able to stand up and walk. A spindle is a slim wooden rod used to spin wool, and spindly essentially means "like a spindle." You can use it to describe a skinny person's long, thin limbs, like a young ballerina's spindly arms or the spindly legs of an elementary school basketball team. Spindly objects tend to be fragile, too: "These spindly antique chairs make me nervous — I'll sit on the couch."

Example Sentences

At nearly 650,000 acres, Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is known for its sprawling solitude: miles of lunar rock faces and sandy washes frame spindly Ocotillo stands, wildflower superblooms and designated dark skies.

From Los Angeles Times • May 17, 2026

“He had notoriously spindly legs, I guess,” Nelsen said.

From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2026

And up on its sixth-story terrace you are above the rooftops of Harlem and can see, far to the south, Central Park and the cluster of spindly supertalls beyond.

From The Wall Street Journal • Dec. 17, 2025

It’s a verdant thicket of spindly branches that towers over a straw-hatted man in the shadow below, no doubt seeking respite from the heat.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 8, 2025

The shiny black marble floor was pristine and looked freshly mopped, the spindly silver tables and chairs along the wall neatly lined up.

From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny

Related Words

• elongated
• frail
• lanky
• rangy
• skinny
• slender