Gaunt: meaning, definitions and examples

Often used to describe someone who looks very thin and weak, typically because of illness, hunger, or old age. It emphasizes a sharpness or bony appearance.

• After months in the hospital, he appeared gaunt and frail.
• The once vibrant woman now had a gaunt figure that spoke of hard times.

This term is typically used in medical or serious contexts to describe someone who is extremely thin due to severe malnutrition or illness. It has a strong negative connotation.

• The refugees were emaciated from weeks of no food.
• The animal rescue team found several emaciated dogs in the abandoned house.

Best used to describe someone who looks tired, worn out, or exhausted, often because of stress, lack of sleep, or suffering. It usually refers more to facial appearance rather than the body.

• He appeared haggard after working double shifts for an entire week.
• Her haggard eyes and unkempt hair hinted at the stress she had been under.

A neutral term that simply describes someone or something with less thickness or being slender. It can refer to body weight, objects, or even consistency of a substance.

• She looked healthy and thin after her months of working out.
• The walls were so thin we could hear our neighbors talking.

This word can have a negative connotation when describing a person, indicating severe physical decline due to disease, lack of nutrition, or substance abuse. It is also used informally to describe someone who is extremely drunk.

• He looked wasted after battling with the disease for several months.
• After the party, he was so wasted he couldn't even stand up.

Usually used to describe someone extremely thin and unhealthy, often due to illness or starvation.

• The prisoner looked gaunt after weeks of malnutrition.
• Her face was gaunt and her eyes sunken.

Typically used to describe land where nothing can grow, or sometimes used metaphorically for efforts that produce no results.

• The desert was a barren landscape of sand and rocks.
• Despite years of effort, their project was ultimately barren.

Often describes situations, landscapes, or prospects that are depressing, cold, and hopeless.

• The future seemed bleak after the company declared bankruptcy.
• The bleak weather made the mood even more somber.

Used to describe places that are empty, abandoned, and lacking life. Can also describe feelings of loneliness.

• The desolate town had been abandoned for years.
• He felt desolate after the loss of his family.

Describes something that is spread out thinly or not dense, such as vegetation or population.

• The vegetation was sparse in the high-altitude region.
• The rural area's population was quite sparse compared to the city.