Describing Body Shape: English Vocabulary List

(especially of a man) round or a little overweight

"The man is portly."

"The portly gentleman had difficulty climbing the stairs because he was overweight and out of shape from years of sitting at a desk."

having a rounded and fat body shape

"The man is rotund."

"The rotund cat could barely fit through the cat door because he had been eating too much food and not exercising enough."

(of a person) having a pleasantly rounded and slightly full-bodied appearance

"The baby is plump."

"The baker sold plump juicy raisins that were perfect for making sweet cakes and cookies during the holiday season."

extremely overweight, with excess body fat that significantly increases health risks

"The patient is obese."

"The doctor warned his obese patient that he needed to lose weight immediately to avoid developing serious health problems like diabetes."

excessively overweight or obese

"The king was corpulent."

"The corpulent king sat on his golden throne and ate roasted chicken while his servants fanned him with large palm leaves."

having a body that is chubby with soft-looking flesh

"His face is fleshy."

"The model had a naturally fleshy face, which gave her a youthful and approachable appearance."

having a sturdy and robust build

"He is hesvyset."

"The hesvyset farmer, with his broad shoulders and strong hands, was well-suited for the physically demanding work on his land."

with a strong body and well-built muscles

"He has beefy arms."

"The beefy construction worker lifted the heavy steel beam without any help because his arms were incredibly strong from years of hard labor."

(of a woman's body) attractive because of having curves

"Her body is curvy."

"Many people find her curvy figure to be very attractive and appealing."

describing a compact, solid build and a broad, muscular frame

"The athlete is thickset."

"The thickset boxer had a low center of gravity which made it very difficult for his taller opponents to push him around the ring."

(of a person) large but not fat

"She is big-boned."

"She described herself as big-boned but the doctor gently explained that she needed to lose weight for her health and well being."

having little body fat

"He has a lean body."

"The lean athlete trained for months to lose body fat and build muscle so he could compete in the national championship race."

(of a person or body part) attractively thin

"She has slender fingers."

"The model had a slender figure that allowed her to wear any type of clothing from tight jeans to flowing evening gowns."

(of a woman) small in an attractive way

"She is very petite."

"The petite woman had trouble reaching the top shelf in the kitchen so she always kept a small step stool nearby for help."

extremely thin to the point where the outlines of one's bones are visible beneath one's skin

"The cat is bony."

"The stray dog was bony and hungry so the kind woman gave him some food and water and took him to the animal shelter."

resembling a skeleton in appearance due to being very thin or emaciated

"The patient looked skeletal."

"The starving prisoner looked skeletal after months of being held in captivity with very little food and almost no medical care."

having a thin or lean physique with a prominent bone structure

"He is very rawboned."

"The rawboned marathon runner looked incredibly thin but possessed remarkable endurance and strength."

physically thin, fit, and attractive

"He keeps trim."

"He kept his figure trim by jogging every morning and eating a healthy diet that included lots of fresh vegetables and lean protein."

slender, flexible, and graceful in movement

"The dancer is lithe."

"The lithe dancer moved across the stage like water flowing down a river and the audience watched in complete silence and awe."

moving or behaving in an elegant, pleasing, and attractive way

"Her movements are graceful."

"The swan swam gracefully across the lake while the tourists took photos and admired its elegant long neck and white feathers."

pleasantly small and attractive, often implying a sense of elegance

"She has dainty feet."

"She took dainty bites of her sandwich because she did not want to seem rude in front of her new boyfriend's parents."

(of a person) excessively thin as a result of a disease, worry or hunger

"His face is gaunt."

"The gaunt old man sat alone on the park bench feeding bread crumbs to the pigeons that gathered around his feet every afternoon."

having wide and well-defined shoulders

"He is broad-shouldered."

"The broad-shouldered football player easily blocked the opposing team's defense and helped his quarterback score the winning touchdown."

having an abundance of well-defined muscles

"The bodybuilder is muscle-bound."

"The muscle-bound bodybuilder could not scratch his own back because his arms were too large to reach around his massive shoulders."

having a strong, solid, and muscular physique

"He is well-built."

"The well-built construction worker easily lifted the heavy beams with his powerful muscles."