slender

adjective

slen·​der ˈslen-dər How to pronounce slender (audio)
1
a
: spare in frame or flesh
especially : gracefully slight
b
: small or narrow in circumference or width in proportion to length or height
2
: limited or inadequate in amount or scope : meager
people of slender means
slenderly adverb
slenderness noun
Choose the Right Synonym for slender

thin, slender, slim, slight, tenuous mean not thick, broad, abundant, or dense.

thin implies comparatively little extension between surfaces or in diameter, or it may imply lack of substance, richness, or abundance.

thin wire
a thin soup

slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion.

the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness.

a slim volume of poetry
a slim chance

slight implies smallness as well as thinness.

a slight build

tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness.

a tenuous thread

Examples of slender in a Sentence

She has a slender figure. a flower with a slender stem an animal with a long, slender snout
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Anya Taylor-Joy, imperiously slender and with devouring eyes, has a porcelain haughtiness that doesn’t quite work as Emma Woodhouse — at least not for me. Tom Gliatto, People.com, 19 July 2025 Those garments included curvaceous jackets with jodhpurs and slender gowns cut from both light-absorbing velvet and light reflecting satin. At Chanel, meanwhile, the dark hue was used for military suits in nubby tweeds. Ari Stark, Footwear News, 14 July 2025 Despite his slender figure, he was deployed as a midfielder in a 4-3-3 in each of the Gold Cup knockout games in a left-sided No 8 role, with Edson Alvarez anchoring things in the middle. Thom Harris, New York Times, 8 July 2025 Artist and designer Cecil Beaton performed a coy fashion magazine pose in full drag, his slender form crowned by an enormous picture hat that transforms him into something approaching a human flower, photographed by the duo David James Scott and Edgar Wilkinson. Christopher Knight, Los Angeles Times, 24 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for slender

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sclendre, slendre, from Anglo-French esclendre

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of slender was in the 14th century

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slender. Accessed 24 Jul. 2025.

Kids Definition

slender

adjective
slen·​der ˈslen-dər How to pronounce slender (audio)
1
2
: limited or not enough in amount : meager
a slender income
slenderly adverb
slenderness noun

More from Merriam-Webster on slender

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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