skeleton

noun

ˈske-lə-tən How to pronounce skeleton (audio)
Definition of skeletonnext
as in structure
the arrangement of parts that gives something its basic form Native Americans covered the skeletons of their wigwams with bark, rush mats, or hides

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 skeleton The leasing office ran on a skeleton staff and a hold button. — Ken Lundin, Forbes.com, 13 Oct. 2026 When she was called into the offices of M1, the broadcaster was operating with only a skeleton staff after many of its employees had left or been fired following the ouster of Prime Minister Viktor Orbán from office in April. — Dominique Soguel, Christian Science Monitor, 13 Oct. 2026 This natural history is reflected in the city's grand cloak of Art Deco, neoclassical, and Romanesque architecture, the buildings' façades swathed in stone and iron detailing and girded by skeletons of steel. — Leslie Pariseau, Condé Nast Traveler, 12 Oct. 2026 The 20-foot-long skeleton will be on view for two weeks at Sotheby’s galleries in the Breuer Building starting on October 13 until the live sale on October 27. — Leigh Anne Miller, ARTnews.com, 6 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for skeleton
Recent Examples of Synonyms for skeleton
  1. structure
  2. framework
  3. architecture
Noun
  • These structures provide the optical environment needed to generate the comb signals.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The Drama staged this structure in the process of fracturing.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of structure
Noun
  • But Netanyahu’s government wanted the existing framework kept intact, according to multiple sources who spoke to TIME, including an Israeli official and an international diplomat.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
  • These are welcome steps, as are the safety frameworks leading labs have published.
    — Giorgos Tsetis, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of framework
Noun
  • The architecture is designed to support multiple robot platforms, allowing skills to adapt to different applications rather than being developed separately for each machine.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 16 Oct. 2026
  • Energy is supplied via a dense 85-kilowatt-hour pack running on an 800-volt electrical architecture, allowing a 10-to-80% DC fast charge in under 15 minutes while providing a maximum highway driving range of 249 miles (400 km).
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of architecture

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Cite this Entry

“Skeleton.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/skeleton. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on skeleton

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about skeleton

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