adj

flabby

FLAB-ee

Flabby (adj) means Soft and loose, lacking muscle tone. Example: “Months without exercise had left his arms flabby.”

adj

Soft and loose, lacking muscle tone.

"Months without exercise had left his arms flabby."

Weak or lacking rigor, said of an argument, writing, or structure.

"The essay's conclusion felt flabby and unconvincing."

How to use flabby

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishSoft and saggy rather than firm — used for both bodies and weak arguments or writing.

Common pairings

flabby muscles flabby prose flabby arms

Word forms

flabbier comparative, flabbiest superlative

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Months without exercise had left his arms _____.

Etymology

A variant of "flappy," from "flap" in the sense "to hang loosely."

Antonyms

muscled taut

Related words

tight tense stiff concise muscled taut strapping

Rhymes for flabby

Abby tabby Gabby crabby scabby shabby grabby

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Frequently asked questions

What does “flabby” mean?

The word “flabby” means soft and loose, lacking muscle tone. In plain terms, soft and saggy rather than firm — used for both bodies and weak arguments or writing.

How do you pronounce “flabby”?

“Flabby” is pronounced FLAB-ee (/ˈflæb.i/ in IPA).

How do you use “flabby” in a sentence?

Here is “flabby” used in a sentence: “Months without exercise had left his arms flabby.”

What is the opposite of “flabby”?

The opposite of “flabby” — its antonyms — are muscled and taut.

What part of speech is “flabby”?

“Flabby” is an adjective.

How many meanings does “flabby” have?

“Flabby” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: soft and loose, lacking muscle tone.

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tight tense stiff concise muscled taut strapping