Definitions

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.

“White meat was marketed as leaner and therefore ‘better for you,’ and that messaging stuck.”

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 19, 2026

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

The company, which announced 13,000 job cuts in November, has gotten leaner and “will not settle for anything less than being the best,” he added.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 30, 2026

But their looks were where their similarities ended; Kamau was more muscled, while Ekon was of a leaner build.

From "Beasts of Prey" by Ayana Gray