1
: consisting of or bearing fibers or filaments
a thready bark
2
a
: resembling a thread : filamentous
b
: tending to form or draw out into strands : ropy
3
: lacking in fullness, body, or vigor : thin
a thready voice
threadiness noun

Examples of thready in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web His pulse was thready and fast, his belly distended, his bowel ominously silent. Claire Panosian Dunavan, Discover Magazine, 8 Feb. 2011 Simard’s transformative contribution to arboreal science has been to explain the function of mycorrhizal networks—a webbing of thready fungi, reticulated through and expanding beyond tree roots, fastening trees to one another in the soil. Rebecca Giggs, The Atlantic, 17 June 2021 Similar to Sporothrix, Coccidioides has two forms, starting with a thready, fragile one that exists in soil and breaks apart when soil is disturbed. Maryn McKenna, Scientific American, 19 May 2021 Many patients, despite a thready pulse and low blood pressure, did not appear to be in clinical shock. Jennet Conant, Smithsonian Magazine, 18 Aug. 2020 Those on the brink of death — pale complexion, thready pulse — got red. Matt Hamilton, latimes.com, 4 Oct. 2017 Mushrooms grow from a thready substance called mycelia that sits just underground, spreading across a region to encourage growth of the fungi fruit. Jennifer Billock, Smithsonian, 29 Mar. 2017 Mushrooms grow from a thready substance called mycelia that sits just underground, spreading across a region to encourage growth of the fungi fruit. Jennifer Billock, Smithsonian, 29 Mar. 2017

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'thready.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1597, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of thready was in 1597

Dictionary Entries Near thready

Cite this Entry

“Thready.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/thready. Accessed 29 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

thready

adjective
1
: consisting of or bearing fine threads or fibers
a thready bark
2
: lacking in fullness or vigor : thin
a thready voice

Medical Definition

thready

adjective
1
: resembling a thread
2
: of, relating to, or being a thready pulse

More from Merriam-Webster on thready

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!