leaner

[lee-ner] / ˈli nər /

ADJECTIVE

bare, thin

Synonyms

STRONGEST

angular gangly gaunt lanky rangy sinewy skinny slender slim sparse svelte wiry

STRONG

barren emaciated haggard poor scanty shadow spare stick stilt wasted worn

WEAK

beanpole bony gangling inadequate infertile lank meager no fat pitiful rawboned scraggy scrawny stringy sylphlike twiggy unfruitful unproductive wizened

Antonyms

STRONGEST

chubby fat heavy plump thick

STRONG

fertile fresh strong

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

“Free cash flow per share grows even as revenue plateaus or declines slightly. The companies that execute this transition well are going to emerge as leaner, more profitable versions of themselves,” he says.

From MarketWatch • Feb. 25, 2026

Boosted by powerful new artificial-intelligence tools, Silicon Valley startups are running leaner than ever, spawning new benchmarks like revenue-per-employee and even talk of the billion-dollar, one-person company.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 23, 2026

But his pre-season preparation was key in matching those demands this season, with the midfielder visibly leaner and stronger.

From BBC • Feb. 6, 2026

Arguably, the scarcity business model comes with its own economic hedge: Wait lists expand during economic booms and are depleted in leaner times, smoothing out sales.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jan. 26, 2026

Alternatively, hunters may have caught and ‘adopted’ a lamb, fattening it during the months of plenty and slaughtering it in the leaner season.

From "Sapiens: A Brief History of Humankind" by Yuval Noah Harari