spindly

[ spind-lee ]

adjective

, spin·dli·er, spin·dli·est.

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

   The colt wobbled on its spindly legs.

spindly

/ ˈspɪndlɪ /

adjective

1. tall, slender, and frail; attenuated

Word History and Origins

Origin of spindly¹

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

Example Sentences

It was a warm October evening and the swaths of black mustard weed on the trail had completely dried up, leaving the towering stalks spindly and bare.

From Los Angeles Times

Truism No. 2: Even the most comprehensive hiking guide can’t possibly incorporate every craggy nook and spindly trail.

From Los Angeles Times

It’s accompanied by hand-drawn charcoal illustrations that depict a creature with an old-fashioned top hat, a pair of bulging eyes, a matching devious grin and a bulky long coat that hides spindly hands.

From Los Angeles Times

The rainbow backs four tall, mirrored towers out front in the room, configured in the shapes of a triangle, square, rectangle and circle, each raised off the floor on spindly legs.

From Los Angeles Times

Over and over again, they stretch out their spindly little matchstick fingers into the mighty Pacific, and over and over again, they get their knuckles rapped.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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