lank

adjective

ˈlaŋk How to pronounce lank (audio)
Synonyms of lanknext
1
: not well filled out : slender, thin
lank cattle
2
: insufficient in quantity, degree, or extent
3
: hanging straight and limp without spring or curl
lankly adverb
lankness noun

Synonyms

See all Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus 
Choose the Right Synonym for lank

lean, spare, lank, lanky, gaunt, rawboned, scrawny, skinny mean thin because of an absence of excess flesh.

lean stresses lack of fat and of curving contours.

a lean racehorse

spare suggests leanness from abstemious living or constant exercise.

the gymnast's spare figure

lank implies tallness as well as leanness.

the lank legs of the heron

lanky suggests awkwardness and loose-jointedness as well as thinness.

a lanky youth, all arms and legs

gaunt implies marked thinness or emaciation as from overwork or suffering.

a prisoner's gaunt face

rawboned suggests a large ungainly build without implying undernourishment.

a rawboned farmer

scrawny and skinny imply an extreme leanness that suggests deficient strength and vitality.

a scrawny chicken
skinny street urchins

Examples of lank in a Sentence

a woman with long, lank hair right after a shower, her lank hair hung down to her shoulders
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Soon everywhere the hair was lank, the poses crumpled and morose, and the Azzedine dresses and bouclé suits traded in for flannels and peasant frocks. —Sally Singer, Vogue, 11 Aug. 2023 Most versions are also surprisingly lightweight, helping to make locks lustrous but not lank. —Jamie Wilson, Harper's BAZAAR, 14 June 2023

Word History

Etymology

Middle English, from Old English hlanc; akin to Old High German hlanca loin

First Known Use

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of lank was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near lank

Lanius

lank

Lankester

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Lank.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lank. Accessed 1 Dec. 2024.

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Kids Definition

lank

adjective
ˈlaŋk How to pronounce lank (audio)
1
: not well filled out : thin
lank cattle
2
: hanging straight and limp without spring or curl
lank hair
lankly adverb
lankness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on lank

Nglish: Translation of lank for Spanish Speakers

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