When describing someone or something as skinny, it’s easy to just say “thin” or “slim.” But similes bring descriptions to life by comparing thinness to something vivid and relatable. Instead of saying “He was very skinny,” you can say “He was as skinny as a twig”—a much more engaging image!
In this article, we’ll explore similes for skinny, categorized based on different shades of meaning—from delicate thinness to extreme skinniness. Whether you’re writing a story, poem, or just improving your vocabulary, these similes will help you describe skinny in creative ways!
Similes for Naturally Slim or Lean Bodies
These similes describe a healthy, naturally slender physique.
1. As slim as a willow branch
- Meaning: Describes someone elegantly thin.
- Example: She moved gracefully, as slim as a willow branch, bending but never breaking.
2. Like a gazelle on the plains
- Meaning: Describes a thin person who is also agile.
- Example: The dancer leaped across the stage like a gazelle on the plains, swift and light.
3. As light as a feather
- Meaning: Describes someone very thin and weightless.
- Example: He lifted her easily, as light as a feather, barely feeling her in his arms.
4. Like a vine winding around a tree
- Meaning: Describes someone tall and thin.
- Example: The model stood like a vine winding around a tree, elegant and slender.
5. As narrow as a reed
- Meaning: Describes someone or something thin and straight.
- Example: His frame was as narrow as a reed, tall and slightly bending with the wind.
Similes for Extremely Skinny People
These similes describe extreme thinness, often emphasizing bony features.
6. As thin as a rail
- Meaning: Describes someone who is very skinny.
- Example: After weeks of illness, he was as thin as a rail, barely more than skin and bones.
7. Like a skeleton covered in skin
- Meaning: Describes someone so thin their bones are visible.
- Example: He looked like a skeleton covered in skin, his cheekbones sharp and hollow.
8. As bony as a scarecrow
- Meaning: Describes someone with protruding bones due to thinness.
- Example: The old man was as bony as a scarecrow, his clothes hanging loosely on his frame.
9. Like a twig ready to snap
- Meaning: Describes someone so thin they look fragile.
- Example: Her arms were like a twig ready to snap, delicate and frail.
10. As spindly as a spider’s leg
- Meaning: Describes thin, long limbs.
- Example: His fingers were as spindly as a spider’s leg, long and bony.
Similes for Malnourished or Unhealthy Thinness
These similes emphasize unhealthy or extreme skinniness.
11. As hollow as an empty drum
- Meaning: Describes someone who looks weak and underfed.
- Example: His stomach was as hollow as an empty drum, sunken and flat.
12. Like a dried-up riverbed
- Meaning: Describes someone who looks weak and lifeless.
- Example: His face was like a dried-up riverbed, all sharp angles and no softness.
13. As withered as an autumn leaf
- Meaning: Describes someone extremely thin and weak.
- Example: After weeks of sickness, she looked as withered as an autumn leaf, fragile and dry.
14. Like a candle burned down to its wick
- Meaning: Describes someone who has lost a lot of weight and energy.
- Example: He had been sick for months and was like a candle burned down to its wick, barely holding on.
15. As gaunt as a desert traveler
- Meaning: Describes someone who looks starved and exhausted.
- Example: His face was as gaunt as a desert traveler, sunken from days without food.
Similes for Thin Animals or Creatures
Animals can also be described as skinny, whether it’s due to natural build or starvation.
16. As lean as a greyhound
- Meaning: Describes a naturally thin but strong body.
- Example: The runner was as lean as a greyhound, built for speed.
17. Like a starved alley cat
- Meaning: Describes someone extremely thin, often with a rough appearance.
- Example: He looked like a starved alley cat, all ribs and sharp angles.
18. As scrawny as a plucked chicken
- Meaning: Describes someone with very little muscle or fat.
- Example: His legs were as scrawny as a plucked chicken, all bone and no flesh.
19. Like a stick insect balancing on a branch
- Meaning: Describes someone very thin and fragile-looking.
- Example: She stood like a stick insect balancing on a branch, delicate and wiry.
20. As frail as a newborn fawn
- Meaning: Describes someone thin and weak.
- Example: He walked as frail as a newborn fawn, struggling to keep his balance.
Similes for Objects That Represent Thinness
Sometimes, objects provide the best comparisons for skinniness.
21. As thin as a pencil
- Meaning: Describes something long and very slim.
- Example: His arms were as thin as a pencil, barely filling his sleeves.
22. Like a wire stretched tight
- Meaning: Describes someone who looks both thin and tense.
- Example: His nerves were like a wire stretched tight, all sharp edges and no softness.
23. As narrow as a thread
- Meaning: Describes something extremely skinny.
- Example: Her waist was as narrow as a thread, barely there.
24. Like a matchstick standing upright
- Meaning: Describes someone very thin and straight.
- Example: He stood like a matchstick standing upright, almost too skinny to support himself.
25. As wiry as an old rope
- Meaning: Describes someone thin but strong.
- Example: Despite his age, he was as wiry as an old rope, tough and unbreakable.
Conclusion: Bringing Descriptions to Life
These similes for skinny offer a variety of ways to describe thinness—whether it’s graceful, extreme, unhealthy, or simply natural.
Using similes makes your descriptions more engaging and vivid, perfect for storytelling, poetry, or creative writing.
Which simile is your favorite? Or do you have one of your own? Share it in the comments below! 😊
