# bag of bones

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/bag-of-bones
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

A skinny, malnourished person or animal.

## Examples

- The stray dog looked like a bag of bones.
- After being lost in the woods for a week, the hiker returned home looking like a bag of bones.
- The neglected horse had become a mere bag of bones, standing motionless in the dry, barren field.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.