leaner

[lee-ner] / ˈli nər /

ADJECTIVE

bare, thin

Synonyms

STRONGEST

angular gangly gaunt lanky rangy sinewy skinny slender slim sparse svelte wiry

STRONG

barren emaciated haggard poor scanty shadow spare stick stilt wasted worn

WEAK

beanpole bony gangling inadequate infertile lank meager no fat pitiful rawboned scraggy scrawny stringy sylphlike twiggy unfruitful unproductive wizened

Antonyms

STRONGEST

chubby fat heavy plump thick

STRONG

fertile fresh strong

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.

Boosted by powerful new artificial-intelligence tools, Silicon Valley startups are running leaner than ever, spawning new benchmarks like revenue-per-employee and even talk of the billion-dollar, one-person company.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

But his pre-season preparation was key in matching those demands this season, with the midfielder visibly leaner and stronger.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

"Although we have faced a significant crisis in the past year, we have also viewed it as an opportunity. It's an opportunity for a leaner WHO to become more focused on its core mission."

From Barron's • Feb. 2, 2026

Last time, Galetti wrote that AI was letting customers “innovate much faster than ever before,” necessitating leaner organizational structures.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 28, 2026

A chimpanzee is like a smaller, leaner gorilla, but meaner-looking, with less of the melancholy gendeness of its larger cousin.

From "Life of Pi" by Yann Martel