emaciated
What does "emaciated" mean?
The word "emaciated" describes someone who has become abnormally thin or weak, usually due to long-term illness, extreme hunger, or starvation. The mental image is one of sharp angles—prominent bones, sunken eyes, and a lack of muscle mass—suggesting a state where the body has literally consumed its own reserves to survive. Because this word carries a heavy, clinical, or even tragic connotation, it is rarely used in casual conversation to describe simple weight loss. It is best reserved for formal writing, medical contexts, or narrative descriptions where the severity of someone's physical decline needs to be emphasized. Avoid using it to describe someone who is merely slender or fit.
"emaciated" in conversation
Medical report discussion
The patient arrived in an emaciated state after weeks of malnutrition.
The patient arrived in an emaciated state after weeks of malnutrition.
We have started him on a refeeding protocol immediately.
We have started him on a refeeding protocol immediately.
Used here in a clinical sense to highlight a life-threatening lack of nutrition.
Reading a novel
The protagonist looked absolutely emaciated by the end of his journey in the wilderness.
The protagonist looked absolutely emaciated by the end of his journey in the wilderness.
It really highlights how brutal the survival conditions were for him.
It really highlights how brutal the survival conditions were for him.
Used to describe a character's physical transformation due to extreme hardship.
"emaciated" in a sentence
The stray dog was emaciated and needed urgent care.
The stray dog was emaciated and needed urgent care.
Years of famine left the population in an emaciated condition.
Years of famine left the population in an emaciated condition.
His emaciated frame could barely support the weight of his heavy winter coat.
His emaciated frame could barely support the weight of his heavy winter coat.
