skin-and-bones
Dangerously thin physique
Skin-and-bones describes extreme thinness—a person or animal so emaciated that only skin and the skeleton beneath seem to remain: The stray cat was nothing but skin and bones.
The phrase emphasizes visible boniness and lack of flesh, suggesting malnutrition, illness, or neglect.
Often appears as nothing but skin and bones or all skin and bones.
Lean from deprivation
- skeletalOf or like bones
- wastedUsed without good result
- thinSmall in diameter
- underweightBelow normal mass
malnourished · bony · scrawny · starving · frail · sunken · cadaverous · haggard
Eating disorder, self-starvation
- cachexiaSevere illness-induced wasting
- malnutritionDisease from dietary inadequacy
- wastingUsing poorly, inefficiently
- starvationExtreme nutritional deprivation
eating disorder · failure to thrive · weight loss · emaciated · dehydration · famine · bedridden · hospice
Extremely underweight or slender
- rakeTined yard implement
- beanpoleThin person or plant stake
- stick figureSimplified human drawing
- waifAbandoned, neglected child
lightweight · scarecrow · toothpick · string bean · featherweight · underfed · wisp · slight
gaunt
Lean from deprivation
underweight · malnourished · bony · scrawny · starving · frail · sunken · cadaverous · haggard · withered
anorexia
Eating disorder, self-starvation
- cachexiaSevere illness-induced wasting
- malnutritionDisease from dietary inadequacy
- wastingUsing poorly, inefficiently
starvation · eating disorder · failure to thrive · weight loss · emaciated · dehydration · famine · bedridden · hospice · chemotherapy
thin as a rail
Extremely underweight or slender
- rakeTined yard implement
- beanpoleThin person or plant stake
- stick figureSimplified human drawing
waif · lightweight · scarecrow · toothpick · string bean · featherweight · underfed · wisp · slight · puny