SKELETAL Synonyms: 51 Similar and Opposite Words

skeletal

adjective

ˈske-lə-tᵊl

Definition of skeletal

as in gaunt

suffering extreme weight loss as a result of hunger or disease the stray kitten's skeletal body was pitiful to look at

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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 skeletal Kansas City police were called to investigate skeletal remains that were found near the River Market Wednesday morning. — Nathan Pilling, Kansas City Star, 1 Oct. 2026 Up close, its elongated head, skeletal body and glistening double set of jaws reveal just how much unsettling detail goes into a creature often glimpsed onscreen in darkness. — Los Angeles Times, 25 Sep. 2026 By then, compression had reduced their volume enough to push their skeletal density above that of water. — New Atlas, 20 Sep. 2026 The findings suggest compression can enhance the natural skeletal-muscle pump. — Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for skeletal

Recent Examples of Synonyms for skeletal

Adjective

The group last played a public show on July 18 in Valdosta, Georgia, following an uneven few months where Love appeared gaunt and sang in a raspy, diminished voice.

— Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 6 Oct. 2026
Apple was widely criticized in the late 2000s for not volunteering more information about Jobs’ health, especially as concerns about his gaunt appearance battered the company’s shares.

— Allison Morrow, CNN Money, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of gaunt

Adjective

The songs on Purdy also have the tone of journal entries, detailing haggard trips to the grocery store, daydreams about his young daughters’ glamorous adult lives, and observations about the banality of oppression.

— Dash Lewis, Pitchfork, 15 Oct. 2026
Xbox, despite its increasingly haggard reputation, has announced backwards compatibility for PC.

— Mitch Wallace, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Definition of haggard

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skedaddling

skeletal

skeleton

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

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Synonyms of skeletal

adjective

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