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.

Years of absorbing shocks have left companies leaner and more adaptable, like an athlete in peak training rather than one running on fumes, said Sheets.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 4, 2026

“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

They were roughly the same size as the grazing creatures, but leaner and gray-colored, with horned heads and short trunks like elephants’.

From "The Amber Spyglass" by Philip Pullman