gaunt

adjective

ˈgȯnt How to pronounce gaunt (audio)
ˈgänt
Synonyms of gauntnext
1
: excessively thin and angular
a long gaunt face
2
: barren, desolate
gauntly adverb
gauntness noun

Synonyms

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Choose the Right Synonym for gaunt

lean, spare, lank, lanky, gaunt, rawboned, scrawny, skinny mean thin because of an absence of excess flesh.

lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken
skinny street urchins

Examples of gaunt in a Sentence

He left the hospital looking tired and gaunt. a gaunt factory on the edge of town
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Certain players, without their hair, could appear gaunt and impotent. — Zach Helfand, The New Yorker, 3 Mar. 2025 The gaunt appearance of three prisoners released last weekend has raised concerns about the physical condition of those still in captivity. — Michael Collins, USA TODAY, 12 Feb. 2025 Later Saturday, Israel released 183 Palestinian prisoners, some also appearing gaunt and weak. — Tia Goldenberg, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 2025 Some appeared gaunt, and the Palestinian Red Crescent emergency service said four were immediately taken for medical treatment. — Greg Norman, Fox News, 15 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for gaunt

Word History

Etymology

Middle English

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of gaunt was in the 15th century

Rhymes for gaunt

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Browse Nearby Words

gaunt
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Cite this Entry

“Gaunt.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gaunt. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.

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Kids Definition

gaunt

adjective
ˈgȯnt How to pronounce gaunt (audio)
ˈgänt
1
: being thin and bony (as from hunger or suffering)
2
: grim and forbidding : barren, desolate
gaunt, leafless trees
gauntly adverb
gauntness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on gaunt

Nglish: Translation of gaunt for Spanish Speakers

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