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Definitions

skin and bones

PHRASE
cadaverous
Synonyms
WEAK
ashen bag of bones blanched bloodless consumptive dead deathlike deathly emaciated exsanguinous gaunt ghastly ghostly haggard pallid peaked peaky sallow shadowy sick skeletal skeletonlike spectral thin wan wasted
Antonyms
WEAK
flushed lifelike lively
PHRASE
emaciated
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bony gaunt scrawny skeletal skinny
STRONG
atrophied attenuate attenuated famished lean peaked pinched starved wasted
WEAK
cadaverous consumptive haggard lank like a bag of bones meager skeletonlike thin as a rail underfed wizened
Antonyms
STRONGEST
chubby fat heavy overweight plump thick
STRONG
full
WEAK
overnourished
PHRASE
gaunt
Synonyms
STRONGEST
angular emaciated thin
WEAK
attenuated bony cadaverous haggard lank lean like a bag of bones meager peaked peaky pinched rawboned scraggy scrawny skeletal skeleton spare wasted
Antonyms
STRONGEST
fat heavy thick
WEAK
plump well-nourished
PHRASE
meager
Synonyms
STRONGEST
slim tenuous
WEAK
angular bare beanpole beanstalk bony broomstick emaciated gangling gangly gaunt hungry lacking lank lanky lean lithe little narrow rattleboned rawboned scraggy scrawny skinny slender spare starved stinted stunted underfed wanting willowy withered
Antonyms
WEAK
adequate big fat full large liberal plenty substantial sufficient wide
PHRASE
skeletal
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bony emaciated
WEAK
atrophied attenuated cadaverous drawn famished gaunt haggard lank lean scrawny shriveled shrunken skinny starved thin underfed undernourished withered
Antonyms
STRONGEST
fat heavy overweight plump
PHRASE
scrawny
Synonyms
STRONGEST
bony lanky skinny
WEAK
angular gaunt lank lean rawboned scraggy skeletal spare undernourished underweight
Antonyms
STRONGEST
fat heavy overweight plump
WEAK
chubby healthy
PHRASE
underweight
Synonyms
STRONGEST
malnourished starved undernourished
WEAK
angular bony gangly puny scrawny shadow skeleton skinny stringbean undersized
Antonyms
WEAK
chubby fat overweight plump thick
PHRASE
wasted
Synonyms
STRONG
atrophied attenuated famished lean shriveled starved thin undernourished withered
WEAK
bony gaunt haggard lank scrawny skeletal skinny underfed
Antonyms
STRONG
fat full

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.

Baroness Golding said her dad told her of people at the camps who were "skin and bones with vacant eyes".

From BBC • May 5, 2025

Shred chicken into bite sized pieces, discarding skin and bones.

From Salon • Feb. 27, 2025

“I told myself before the game, he’s made of skin and bones just like everyone else — but I was wrong.”

From Seattle Times • Dec. 29, 2022

Now he weighed only what skin and bones do.

From Los Angeles Times • Dec. 29, 2022

My face is wet, my skin and bones are shaking.

From "How It Went Down" by Kekla Magoon