pencil-necked

Skinny and feeble

Pencil-necked describes someone with a thin, weak neck—and by extension, a weak or ineffectual person.

The insult suggests physical frailty and lack of toughness: some pencil-necked bureaucrat, pencil-necked geek.

It's mildly contemptuous, often directed at desk workers or intellectuals by those who value physical strength.

physique

scrawny

Unattractively thin and bony

  • skinnyVery thin, underweight
  • lankyTall and ungainly thin
  • gauntLean from deprivation

spindly · bony · gangly · skeletal · underdeveloped · unmuscular · slight · frail · delicate · twiggy

derogatory

weakling

Feeble person

  • wimpTimid, feeble person
  • geekObsessive enthusiast
  • nerdBrainy social misfit

dweeb · scrawny · puny · feeble · pushover · milksop · effete · sissy · coward · chicken

Opposites
physical build and musculature

pencil-neckedmuscular

Having well-developed sinews

brawny · bull-necked · beefy · burly · musclebound

perceived toughness or masculinity

pencil-neckedtough

Durable and strong

macho · rugged · intimidating · formidable · hard-nosed

Family

pencil, necks, necked, neckband, neckline, neckwear, penciled, penciling, pencil-thin

Familiarity
Top 500,000
Profile
Timeless · Concrete · Negative · Everyday, not technical · Rated PG