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Glite Dictionary
💧 Thin and limp 🚶 Tall and awkward
lankly

lankly

8.2
In a long thin way that hangs limp
  • adverb
  • /ˈlæŋkli/
translation icon : flácidamente
  • Her hair fell lankly over her shoulders, lacking any bounce or volume.

Examples

  • The ever-present yellow slicker even draws the shine out of her blond hair, which hangs lankly around her face.

    Fiction book (1995)

  • The model walked lankly down the runway, her long limbs emphasizing the design of the dress.

  • He stood lankly in the doorway, his thin frame silhouetted against the light.

Synonyms

limply
vslankly
5 4.4

In a weak, soft way that has no stiffness

focuses on long thin straight appearance rather than mere lack of stiffness
bonelessly
vslankly
1 6.6

Move in a limp way, without strength or firmness

stresses long thin straight shape rather than mere lack of internal support
lankily
vslankly
7.5

In a limp, loose way that hangs down

emphasizes long thin straight appearance rather than loose drooping shape
flaccidly
vslankly
8.0

In a limp, weak way that is not firm

highlights long thin straight look instead of simply weak movement
gauntly
vslankly
7.7

In a very thin, bony way that looks tired

describes long straight thin shape without focusing on bone prominence
skeletally
vslankly
8.0

So thin that the bones are clearly visible under the skin

describes long thin limp form rather than extreme bony frame

How Limp

flabbily
7.0
lankly
8.2
limply
5 4.4
loosely
20 3.0

Surface Forms

lankly positive

Morphology

lankly = lank (transparent) = lank + ly

Regular adverbial formation from the adjective 'lank'; the meaning is directly derived from the adjective.

Etymology

Lankly comes from the adjective lank, which means 'long and thin' or 'limp' and is easy to link to the simple word 'long'. So when something hangs lankly (like wet hair or a flag) it falls 'long and loose', without body.