gaunt

This term describes a skeletal appearance that suggests a loss of vitality or health. It carries a heavy connotation of hardship, often evoking images of starvation, prolonged illness, or the physical toll of extreme grief. It is more severe than simply being thin or slender, implying a hollowed-out quality to the cheeks and eyes.

When applied to environments or landscapes, the word shifts from biological wasting to a sense of starkness and austerity. It describes a scene stripped of warmth, comfort, or life, creating an atmosphere of grim isolation and oppressive emptiness.