Skip to main content
lithe

lithe

9 7.5
Thin and able to move easily and gracefully like a dancer
  • adjective
  • /laɪθ/
translation icon : ágil
  • She's 50, with the energy and lithe movements of a woman half her age.
  • lithe body
  • lithe figure
  • lithe cat

And she was the focus of the thing they all feared, very lithe and very dangerous.

Examples

  • You are fine-boned and lithe as a Siamese cat, as declared in thickly accented English.

    Fiction book (1998)
  • She displayed a lithe grace as she danced across the stage, captivating everyone in the audience.

  • And she was the focus of the thing they all feared, very lithe and very dangerous.

  • You know, the last time we met, you were lithe, you were supple, you were strong.

  • Angie was strong and lithe and could hit the ball better than most of the men.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Standing behind the man was a tall, lithe woman with creamy skin and long, shiny black hair.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • As she opened the door, she admired the lithe way he moved, the graceful curve of his back.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Miss Olivia was tall, lithe as the willows that had once grown alongside the creek back home.

    Fiction book (1999)
  • Jen appreciated the dancers' lithe beauty, taut and powerful as any stallion's.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • Against a dark backdrop, invisible footlights pick out Paganini's lithe silhouette, sheathed in a formal black suit.

    Academic text (2001)

Synonyms

supple
vslithe
18 3.7

Able to bend or move easily and smoothly

applies specifically to thin graceful human bodies rather than materials
fluid
vslithe
13 4.2

Moving smoothly and gracefully without stiffness

adds the idea of a slender, flexible body able to bend gracefully
sinuous
vslithe
5 7.4

Shows many smooth, flowing curves like a snake or river

highlights slender, supple body and ease of bending rather than only curves
lithesome
vslithe
1 8.8

A person or animal that moves easily with a thin, flexible body

emphasizes both body slenderness and smooth bending rather than only movement
lissome
vslithe
  • Literature
1 9.0

Having a slim, flexible body and moving easily and smoothly

places more weight on physical suppleness and ability to bend easily
lissom
vslithe
  • Archaic
9.2

A person or thing that has a thin, flexible shape and moves with easy grace

focuses equally on body thinness and the ability to bend gracefully
lithe-bodied
vslithe
7.9

A person or animal with a thin, flexible body that moves gracefully

focuses on bodily thinness while also implying ease of bending and grace

Antonyms

127 1.7

Not easy to bend or move

33 3.0

Not graceful in movement or action

How Graceful

graceful
87 2.8
lithe
9 7.5
nimble
6 4.0
supple
18 3.7
flexible
31 3.4

Surface Forms

lithe positive
lither comparative
lithest superlative

Etymology

Lithe comes from an old English word liðe that meant 'flexible' or 'gentle'. Think of a cat or gymnast who can bend easily and move smoothly — that's why lithe today describes a body that is thin, bendy and graceful.