ENGLISH DICTIONARY

Flimsy

Definition, Meaning & Examples

Pronunciation /ˈflɪmzi/ · Part of speech adjective

Quick meaning: Flimsy is an adjective meaning Likely to bend or break under pressure; easily damaged; frail, unsubstantial.

Meaning

Likely to bend or break under pressure; easily damaged; frail, unsubstantial.

More Meanings

  1. Of an argument, explanation, etc.: ill-founded, unconvincing, weak; also, unimportant; paltry, trivial.
  2. Of a person: lacking depth of character or understanding; frivolous, superficial.
  3. Of a person, their physical makeup, or their health: delicate, frail.
  4. A thing which is ill-founded, unconvincing, or weak.
  5. (by extension) A document printed or typed on such paper.
  6. (also attributive, uncountable) Thin typing paper used together with carbon paper in a typewriter to make multiple copies of a document; (countable) a sheet of such paper.
  7. (UK, military slang) A hexahedral metal container with a capacity of four imperial gallons (about 18 litres) used by the British Army during World War II to hold fuel.

Example Sentences

a flimsy excuse
the flimsiest of theories
He expected the flimsy structure to collapse at any moment.
[T]here always comes a day when the rouſed publick indignation kicks their flimſy edifice down, and ſends its cowardly enemies a-flying.

Word Forms

Synonyms for flimsy

Depending on context, synonyms include fragile, shaky, cheap, shoddy, breakable, delicate.

Antonyms for flimsy

Common opposites include robust, strong, sturdy, well-founded, substantiated, serious.

Related Words

Related dictionary entries include fragile, weak, tenuous, inferior, thin, slight.

Related Dictionary Tools

Sources & Attribution

FreeDictionaryAPI.com / Wiktionary · Original source · CC BY-SA 4.0

Dictionary data is provided by FreeDictionaryAPI.com and sourced from Wiktionary under its stated license.