fadenscheinig
flimsy
Unconvincing or implausible, making an excuse or justification easy to see through.
EXAMPLE
Seine fadenscheinige Ausrede glaubte ihm niemand.
Nobody believed his flimsy excuse.
fadenscheinig
flimsy / threadbare
fadenscheinig – fadenscheiniger – am fadenscheinigsten
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Meanings
fadenscheinig
threadbare
Worn thin through frequent use, so that the fabric is almost transparent in places.
EXAMPLE
Der fadenscheinige Vorhang musste dringend ersetzt werden.
The threadbare curtain urgently needed replacing.
Forms
Forms adapted from the German Wiktionary entry fadenscheinig, by Wiktionary contributors, licence CC BY-SA 4.0.
Comparison
| basic form | fadenscheinig |
|---|---|
| comparative | fadenscheiniger |
| superlative | am fadenscheinigsten |
After der, die, das
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -e | -e | -e | -en |
| acc. | -en | -e | -e | -en |
| dat. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| gen. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Add the ending to fadenscheinig.
After ein, eine
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -er | -e | -es | -en |
| acc. | -en | -e | -es | -en |
| dat. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
| gen. | -en | -en | -en | -en |
Add the ending to fadenscheinig.
Without article
| masc. | fem. | neut. | plural | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| nom. | -er | -e | -es | -e |
| acc. | -en | -e | -es | -e |
| dat. | -em | -er | -em | -en |
| gen. | -en | -er | -en | -er |
Add the ending to fadenscheinig.
Usage tips
Context clue
With 'fadenscheinig' (flimsy / threadbare), the context shows which meaning is intended: with excuses, justifications, or pretexts, it refers to a lack of credibility; with fabrics or textiles, it refers to wear and thin, almost transparent patches.
EXAMPLE
Seine fadenscheinige Erklärung überzeugte die Kommission nicht.
His flimsy explanation did not convince the committee.
Der fadenscheinige Stoff ließ an mehreren Stellen Licht durch.
The threadbare fabric let light through in several places.
Typical collocations
In its figurative sense, 'fadenscheinig' (flimsy) often accompanies 'Ausrede' (excuse), 'Begründung' (justification), 'Vorwand' (pretext), or 'Argument' (argument). These combinations usually refer to an explanation whose underlying purpose is easy to see through.
EXAMPLE
Der fadenscheinige Vorwand konnte die Verspätung nicht erklären.
The flimsy pretext could not explain the delay.
Fabric and clothing
In its literal sense, 'fadenscheinig' (threadbare) mainly describes textiles that have become thin and worn through prolonged use. Typical nouns it describes include 'Stoff' (fabric), 'Vorhang' (curtain), 'Hemd' (shirt), and 'Kleidung' (clothing).
EXAMPLE
Sie trug ein fadenscheiniges Hemd, das an den Ellbogen fast durchsichtig war.
She wore a threadbare shirt that was almost transparent at the elbows.
In real life
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