Describing Body Shape: English Vocabulary List

slightly fat or chubby, especially in a cute or endearing way

"The baby has pudgy cheeks."

"The baby's pudgy little fingers wrapped around his mother's thumb and she smiled as he held on tightly while drinking his bottle."

(of a part of the body) loose and lacking firmness

"His arms are flabby."

"The man was embarrassed by his flabby arms so he started lifting weights at the gym three times a week to build muscle and tone his body."

(of a woman) having large breasts, wide hips and a narrow waist

"The actress is curvaceous."

"The actress was known for her curvaceous figure and she often wore tight dresses that emphasized her hourglass shape."

large and muscular, with a strong and solid build

"The husky dog pulled."

"The singer had a husky voice that sounded rough and sexy and she became famous for her unique vocal style."

(of a person) short and fat

"The child is tubby."

"The tubby cat could barely jump onto the couch because he was so overweight and his owner put him on a diet."

(especially of a man) having a short but quite solid figure with thick muscles

"He is stocky."

"The stocky wrestler had a low center of gravity which made it very difficult for his opponents to lift him off the ground."

(of a woman) elegant and slender in built

"She is svelte."

"The actress appeared at the awards ceremony looking svelte in a form fitting gown that showed off her recent weight loss."

(of a person) tall and thin in a way that is not graceful

"The teenager is lanky."

"The lanky teenager towered over his classmates and he had to bend down to walk through doorways because he was so tall."

having a lean and strong body

"The runner is wiry."

"The wiry old farmer was much stronger than he looked and he could still carry heavy bags of grain despite being over seventy years old."

having a tall, slim, and delicate physical appearance

"The dancer is sylphlike."

"The sylphlike ballerina leaped across the stage with grace and ease and the audience marveled at her seemingly effortless movements."

tall, slender, and elegant, with long, thin limbs

"She has a willowy figure."

"The willowy model glided down the runway in a flowing silk dress and her thin figure made the clothes look elegant and graceful."

long, thin, and frail in appearance

"The legs are spindly."

"The spindly legs of the old table could barely support the weight of the heavy vase and it wobbled dangerously whenever someone walked past."

thin and bony in a way that is not pleasant

"The cat is scrawny."

"The scrawny stray dog was clearly malnourished and the kind woman gave him food and water before taking him to the animal shelter."

extremely thin and weak, often because of illness or a severe lack of food

"The patient is emaciated."

"The emaciated prisoners of war were barely recognizable as human beings and the rescue workers wept when they saw the survivors."

tall, thin, and awkward in appearance or movement

"The boy is gangly."

"The gangly teenager did not know what to do with his long arms and legs and he often tripped over his own feet in gym class."

very thin or pale in a way that is suggestive of an illness

"His face is cadaverous."

"The cadaverous figure in the horror movie scared the children so much that they had nightmares for weeks after watching the film."

(of a person) physically strong with well-developed muscles

"The worker is brawny."

"The brawny construction worker lifted the heavy steel beams without any help and his coworkers admired his incredible strength."

having a lean and muscular physique, characterized by strength and agility

"His arms are sinewy."

"The sinewy runner had lean muscles and no body fat and he could run for hours without getting tired."

(of a person) physically attractive with large muscles

"He is buff."

"The lifeguard was buff with broad shoulders and a muscular chest and the teenagers on the beach giggled whenever he walked by."

(especially of a woman) beautiful, with a tall elegant figure

"The woman is statuesque."

"The statuesque woman stood over six feet tall and she commanded attention whenever she entered a room."

strongly built and muscular, with a large and robust physique

"The guard is burly."

"The burly bouncer stood at the door of the nightclub and he refused entry to anyone who did not have a valid identification card."

tall, strong, and well-built, often implying an impressive physical appearance

"The young man is strapping."

"The strapping young man helped the elderly woman carry her groceries up the stairs and she thanked him for his kindness and strength."

possessing a lot of physical strength

"He is stalwart."

"The stalwart defender blocked every shot that the opposing team took and his teammates relied on him to protect their goal."

significantly enlarged or heavily muscular, typically due to intense physical exercise or bodybuilding

"He is swole."

"The bodybuilder was swole with enormous muscles and he could barely fit his arms through the sleeves of his extra large t shirt."

muscular or possessing well-developed physical strength

"The athlete is thewy."

"The thewy blacksmith had powerful arms from years of hammering hot metal and he could bend iron bars with his bare hands."

extremely thin and delicate in appearance, often appearing fragile or frail

"She looks waiflike."

"The waiflike model looked fragile and thin and some people worried that she might be suffering from an eating disorder."

pleasantly plump or generously proportioned in body size

"The woman is well-upholstered."

"The well-upholstered woman sat in the wide chair and the cushions sank under her weight but she seemed comfortable and happy."

(of a woman) plump or full-figured body, often highlighting voluptuous curves and a more ample physique

"Her figure is rubenesque."

"The artist preferred to paint rubenesque models with full figures and soft curves rather than the thin women who dominated fashion magazines."

having extra body weight

"The cat is well-padded."

"The well-padded man struggled to fit into the small airplane seat during his long flight."