Lithe
adj.energetic, capableliterary
What it means
Bending and moving with supple, graceful ease.
Reach for it when describing a body or movement in refined visual prose
The lithe climber shifted weight smoothly across the narrow ledge.
Choose between these
6- everyday
freedom from bodily stiffness is the practical point
not when Limber is less elegant and does not imply visual grace.
- warm
pleasing controlled movement matters more than body type
not when Graceful does not require flexibility.
- professional
quick coordinated movement is established
not when Agile stresses speed and control rather than flexibility.
- professional
range of motion is the measurable claim
not when Flexible is broad and lacks lithe's visual elegance.
- literary
supple
flexible smooth bending is the exact quality
not when Supple may describe leather or joints without graceful movement.
- literary
willowy
slender flexible appearance is consciously intended
not when Willowy describes build and can feel objectifying.
Said against
3- stiff
- rigid
- awkward
It naturally appears in
3- lithe dancer
A lithe dancer traced the rhythm with economical movements.
- lithe figure
The sculptor captured the runner's lithe figure in bronze.
- remain lithe
Daily mobility work helped the acrobat remain lithe.
The word family
1Where this comes from
- merriam-webster, adjective, single sense opens in a new tab · retrieved 2026-07-26
The definition and the example on this page are written here. The dictionaries above ground which meaning is being described, not the wording.