wiry

wiry — adjective

1. describing a person or animal whose body is slender or light in build but surpri

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

describing a person or animal whose body is slender or light in build but surprisingly firm, tough, and full of energy.

Example

Small and wiry, Élise climbed the steep rock wall faster than anyone.

predicative use: be + wiry; contrast with 'small'

The wiry old farmer lifted the heavy grain sack onto his shoulder.

attributive use: wiry + noun (wiry farmer)

Common collocations
  • wiry frame
  • wiry build
  • wiry physique
  • wiry arms
  • wiry legs
  • wiry body
Synonyms
  • lean

    Focuses on lack of body fat; does not necessarily imply strength like wiry does.

  • sinewy

    More formal; emphasises visible muscles and toughness, often used for older people.

  • tough

    Broader in meaning; can also describe character or durability, not just physical build.

Antonyms
  • flabby

    Describes a soft, weak body, the opposite of wiry's firmness.

  • bulky

    Describes a large, heavy body, contrasting with wiry's slender frame.

Grammar Patterns

wiry + noun (wiry frame, wiry arms, wiry dog)

Usage Note

Commonly describes active individuals such as athletes, farmers, and climbers, or animals like dogs, cats, and horses. The word always carries a positive or admiring tone toward the person's toughness — do not use it for someone who looks weak or unhealthy.

Common Mistakes

She is wiry and weak.
She is wiry and strong.
Wiry implies toughness; pairing it with 'weak' contradicts the meaning.
The wiry cat was overweight.
The wiry cat was lean but muscular.
Wiry describes a lean, firm body, not a heavy one.

2. used to describe hair or fur that is thick, stiff, and rough to the touch, with

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

used to describe hair or fur that is thick, stiff, and rough to the touch, with a texture similar to thin pieces of wire.

Example

Grandfather's wiry grey beard scratched my cheek whenever he hugged me.

wiry + beard; tactile context (scratched)

No ordinary brush could tame her thick, wiry hair after it dried in the wind.

paired with 'thick'; difficulty-of-care context

Common collocations
  • wiry hair
  • wiry beard
  • wiry curls
  • wiry fur
  • wiry mane
Synonyms
  • coarse

    Describes rough texture broadly; less specific than wiry about the 'wire-like' feel.

  • bristly

    Suggests short, stiff hairs; often used for stubble or animal fur.

  • stiff

    Simpler, more general word for something that does not bend easily.

Antonyms
  • silky

    Describes smooth, soft hair, opposite of wiry's roughness.

  • fine

    Describes thin, soft strands, opposite of wiry's thick, stiff texture.

Grammar Patterns

wiry + hair/beard/curls/fur

Usage Note

Only describes hair, fur, or beard texture — never used for other materials. Frequently applied to facial hair (beard, eyebrows) and animal coats. Can carry a slightly negative connotation compared to neutral words like 'thick' or 'full'.

Common Mistakes

She has wiry, silky hair.
She has wiry, coarse hair.
Silky and wiry describe opposite textures; they contradict each other.
The wiry fabric felt soft.
The rough fabric felt scratchy.
Wiry only describes hair or fur, not general fabric.

Word family

  • wire
    nounB1
  • wired
    adjectiveB2
  • wiriness
    nounC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a body that is strong without being heavy, but each has a different emphasis. Lean simply focuses on the absence of visible fat ('a lean racehorse') — it says nothing about muscle quality. Sinewy is more formal and draws attention to visible tendons and stringy muscles, often describing older people who have kept their strength ('sinewy hands that had worked the land for decades'). Tough is the broadest term and can describe not only a person's body but also their character or endurance ('a tough soldier'). Wiry is the most specific: it combines the ideas of slenderness, firmness, and surprising energy, and is often used for active, agile people or animals. For example: 'The wiry young gymnast was not much taller than the other girls, but her body was all muscle.'

wiry ↗lean ↗sinewytough ↗

Etymology

Old EnglishEnglish

Wiry comes from the noun 'wire' (a thin metal thread) plus the adjective suffix '-y', meaning 'having the qualities of'. The word was first used in the late 1500s to describe things made of or resembling wire. By the 1700s, it had taken on the sense of a lean, tough body — comparing a person's strength and firmness to the unyielding quality of metal wire.