lithe

adjective

ˈlīt͟h How to pronounce lithe (audio)
Definition of lithenext
1
as in flexible
able to bend easily without breaking the lithe blade of a fencing foil

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in graceful
moving easily lithe dancers glided across the stage

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3
as in slender
having a noticeably small amount of body fat she has the lithe, sinewy body of a distance runner

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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of lithe At 6-foot-5 and a lithe 205 pounds, many scouts forecast Flora to add some oomph to his 96-98 mph heater. — Chuck Murr, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026 During my flight, as each lithe limb was bound and hoisted, my unflappable captain checked in. — Literary Hub, 17 June 2026 The herd’s lithe necks drifted above the bush in one ethereal mass, moving like a corps de ballet against a pale blue sky. — Lydia Price, Travel + Leisure, 14 June 2026 And while the curb weight is a good deal more than a Miata or BRZ, compared to the usual diet of crossovers and EVs, the Prelude feels remarkably lithe and nimble. — Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for lithe
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lithe
  1. flexible
  2. graceful
  3. slender
  4. willowy
  5. skinny
  6. plastic
  7. thin
  8. limber
Adjective
  • With shifting tariff rules and trade policies, merchants need to stay flexible to handle sudden political and financial changes.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 12 Oct. 2026
  • To surmount the issue, Apple routed a flexible graphite pipe through the hinge itself to transfer heat between the two halves, thereby increasing the surface area available for heat dissipation.
    — Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of flexible
Adjective
  • Minervini calmed down from there, delivering a more graceful goodbye.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2026
  • What a simultaneously callous and graceful way to send off an audience that has spent the last hour falling in love.
    — Walden Green, Pitchfork, 9 Oct. 2026
Definition of graceful
Adjective
  • Fields of solar panels blanket parts of Inner Mongolia, while the slender silhouettes of wind turbines spin above grazing sheep.
    — Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 13 Oct. 2026
  • This one was carved from a block of limestone and features a slender face with a long nose and a tiny, smiling mouth.
    — Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of slender
Adjective
  • However, the primary reason for these willowy airfoils is entirely practical.
    — David Szondy August 04, New Atlas, 4 Aug. 2026
  • Cosmos Cosmos help create an ethereal-looking garden, thanks to their long, willowy stems and bright, fluffy blooms that come in dozens of vibrant colors, from rich chocolate cosmos to delicate ‘Apricotta’ tones.
    — Melissa Epifano, The Spruce, 8 July 2026
Definition of willowy
Adjective
  • Related Stories Arriving to Southwark Crown Court, Brand wore a grey suit, white shirt and grey skinny tie.
    — Ellise Shafer, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • On a Wednesday afternoon at Ralphs on Pico Boulevard, a skinny, six-foot-tall tower of sensors rolled through the aisles.
    — Ella Chakarian, Los Angeles Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of skinny
Adjective
  • The defense rested its case on Thursday in the death penalty case of Alberto Sierra, who admitted to snuffing the lives of his estranged wife and her two young daughters with a plastic bag.
    — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Finish by gently scraping off the wallpaper with a plastic paint scraper.
    — Lee Wallender, The Spruce, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of plastic
Adjective
  • Bajaria may also have hit thin ice with Sarandos after the streamer won just 16 Primetime Emmy Awards this year — its worst showing since 2016 and down from 30 in 2025.
    — Matt Donnelly, Variety, 16 Oct. 2026
  • It was designed with a column, sheath silhouette, with sequins, thin spaghetti straps and a midlength skirt.
    — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of thin
Adjective
  • Two ultra-limber actors — Hassiem Muhammad and Ryan Sellers — in garish body makeup (and dance shoes) merge limbs and psyches for an electric demonstration of poetry in motion.
    — Peter Marks, Washington Post, 26 Jan. 2023
  • For thousands of years, people have turned to yoga to feel more limber, release stress and rejuvenate their overall physical and mental health.
    — Forrest Brown, CNN, 21 June 2022
Definition of limber

Browse Nearby Words

literati
lithe
litheness
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Cite this Entry

“Lithe.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lithe. Accessed 20 Oct. 2026.

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