reedy

IPA/ˈriːdi/
KK[rˈidi]IPA/ˈriːdi/

reedy — adjective

  • reedypositive
  • reediercomparative
  • reediestsuperlative

1. A reedy place is covered with reeds—tall, grass-like plants that grow in wet soi

1.形容詞B2
釋義

A reedy place is covered with reeds—tall, grass-like plants that grow in wet soil or shallow water.

例句

The reedy marsh stretched for miles behind the coastal village.

attributive: a reedy marsh

Tuan pushed through the reedy bank of the river looking for a good fishing spot.

同義詞
  • rushy

    also means covered with rushes (a similar wetland plant); slightly less common than reedy

反義詞
  • clear

    open water or bare ground without plant cover

  • barren

    land without vegetation

文法句型

be reedy

a reedy + noun

用法筆記

Often used to describe natural landscapes near water — marshes, riverbanks, lake edges, or wetlands.

常見錯誤

The garden was reedy with tall flowers.
The garden was reedy with tall grass near the pond.
💡reedy refers specifically to reeds (tall wetland plants), not any tall plant.

2. When a voice or musical instrument sounds reedy, it produces a thin, high tone t

2.形容詞C1
釋義

When a voice or musical instrument sounds reedy, it produces a thin, high tone that lacks fullness and warmth.

例句

The old librarian's voice had grown thin and reedy over the years.

predicative: grown reedy

Elena reached for the high notes, but her reedy tone cracked halfway.

attributive: reedy tone

同義詞
  • thin

    lacks the 'reed-like' resonance connotation; simpler and more common

  • shrill

    stronger negative connotation of being unpleasant and piercing

  • high-pitched

    neutral description of pitch; does not imply thinness or lack of warmth

反義詞
  • deep

    low in pitch, the opposite of high

  • rich

    full, warm, and resonant in tone

  • full

    strong and well-rounded in sound

文法句型

a reedy + noun (voice, tone, sound)

sounds reedy

用法筆記

Usually describes sounds that are naturally thin (aging voices, certain woodwind instruments) rather than sounds that are deliberately made thin.

常見錯誤

The baby's cry was reedy.
The baby's cry was high-pitched and piercing.
💡reedy describes a thin, slightly hollow quality, not just any high-pitched sound.

3. A reedy person or body part is tall, thin, and gracefully slender—like a reed pl

3.形容詞C1
釋義

A reedy person or body part is tall, thin, and gracefully slender—like a reed plant swaying in the wind.

例句

The dancer had a reedy build that made her movements look light and effortless.

collocation: reedy build

A reedy boy with bright red hair stood up at the back of the classroom.

attributive: a reedy boy

同義詞
  • slender

    more common and neutral; reedy implies a more distinctive reed-like tallness

  • willowy

    emphasises graceful flexibility rather than just thinness

  • lanky

    informal, often slightly awkward or ungraceful tallness

反義詞

文法句型

a reedy + noun (person, figure, build)

tall and reedy

用法筆記

Can describe plants or trees with a tall, thin shape in addition to people. More complimentary or neutral than 'skinny'.

常見錯誤

She was reedy because she never ate.
She was reedy by nature, with a slender frame that ran in her family.
💡reedy describes natural build, not the result of dieting or illness.