adj
scrawny
SKRAW-nee
adj
1
Unattractively thin, often to the point of looking undernourished.
"The scrawny stray cat looked like it hadn't eaten in days."
How to Use Scrawny
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishThin in an unhealthy, weak-looking way.
Common mistake
Scrawny has a negative, unflattering tone; slim or slender describe thinness more neutrally or positively.
Word Forms
scrawnier comparative, scrawniest superlative
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The _____ stray cat looked like it hadn't eaten in days.
Etymology
A variant of an old dialect word, scranny, meaning \"lean\" or \"of poor quality,\" possibly from a Scandinavian root meaning \"rubbish\" or \"shrivelled.\"