spindly
adjective
spin·dly
ˈspin(d)-lē 
ˈspin-dᵊl-ē
spindlier; spindliest
1
: of a disproportionately tall or long and thin appearance that often suggests physical weakness
spindly legs
2
: frail or flimsy in appearance or structure
a spindly tower
Examples of spindly in a Sentence
spindly, underfed dogs roamed the poverty-stricken village
Recent Examples on the Web
Two dense clusters of the spindly florals become a bikini-tie top, worn with an open-front catsuit that looks like it was drawn directly onto the models body.
—
Leah Dolan, CNN, 4 Feb. 2025
Listing photos suggest even the décor is unchanged: spindly furniture, oil paintings, and, in that dining room, the kind of plush fabric wall coverings that entice curious fingertips in the decorative wing of the Met.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 29 July 2024
Plants receiving adequate light will produce dense, attractive new growth but the previous growth will always look spindly.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Feb. 2025
The trees were all short and spindly, leaned a bit too much or were thin on one side.
—Greg Borowski, Journal Sentinel, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spindly 
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Leah Dolan, CNN, 4 Feb. 2025
Listing photos suggest even the décor is unchanged: spindly furniture, oil paintings, and, in that dining room, the kind of plush fabric wall coverings that entice curious fingertips in the decorative wing of the Met.
—Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 29 July 2024
Plants receiving adequate light will produce dense, attractive new growth but the previous growth will always look spindly.
—Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 3 Feb. 2025
The trees were all short and spindly, leaned a bit too much or were thin on one side.
—Greg Borowski, Journal Sentinel, 18 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for spindly
Dictionary Entries Near spindly
Cite this Entry
“Spindly.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spindly. Accessed 19 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
spindly
adjective
spin·dly
ˈspin-(d)lē
-dᵊl-ē
spindlier; spindliest
: of a tall or long and thin appearance that often suggests physical weakness
spindly legs
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