# meat on one's bones

idiom

Source: https://englishreference.com/idiom/meat-on-ones-bones
Updated: 2026-08-10

## Meaning

An amount of flesh on one's body that prevents one from being very thin.

## Examples

- You look like you need some meat on your bones.
- After his long illness, he is finally starting to put some meat on his bones.
- The doctor suggested a high-calorie diet to help the patient regain his strength and put some meat on his bones.

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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.