slight 1 of 3

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as in little
of a size that is less than average the slight youth packed a surprisingly solid punch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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slight

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noun

slight

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verb

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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective slight contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of slight are slender, slim, tenuous, and thin. While all these words mean "not thick, broad, abundant, or dense," slight implies smallness as well as thinness.

a slight build

When is slender a more appropriate choice than slight?

While in some cases nearly identical to slight, slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion.

the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

When would slim be a good substitute for slight?

The words slim and slight can be used in similar contexts, but slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness.

a slim volume of poetry
a slim chance

When might tenuous be a better fit than slight?

The synonyms tenuous and slight are sometimes interchangeable, but tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness.

a tenuous thread

When is it sensible to use thin instead of slight?

The meanings of thin and slight largely overlap; however, 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

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of slight
Adjective
But the fact that Schwartzman, in his first film, was given the difficult task of stealing laughs away from a comedy legend, and so often succeeds in doing so, gives him the slight edge. Shannon Carlin, Time, 30 May 2025 There is also a slight chance, about 10% to 15%, of precipitation on Saturday afternoon in the San Gabriel Mountains. Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2025
Noun
Wall Street’s biggest firms on Friday attempted the tricky two-step of revealing the toll of President Trump’s whiplash tariff policy without outright criticizing a man who has repeatedly tangled with the financial industry for slights both real and imagined. Rob Copeland, New York Times, 11 Apr. 2025 For some, this seems like a slight to UConn, who recently won the Big East tournament title for the 12th year in a row to complement their regular season title. Allison Smith, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
Verb
Known for unmercifully calling out machismo through her music, Paquita became a guiding light for many women who have been wronged or slighted by their partners, or a patriarchal world. Kimi Robinson, USA TODAY, 18 Feb. 2025 Each man feels insulted and slighted by the other; both have cause for resentment. Rachel Hadas, The Conversation, 5 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slight
Adjective
  • And, in the long run, economists say that will translate to a weaker economy and a lower standard of living.
    Matt Egan, CNN Money, 22 May 2025
  • Thanks to a weak front sliding across Central Florida, Thursday will be a bit cooler than prior days.
    Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 22 May 2025
Adjective
  • Ambulances took 27 people to the hospital, including two with serious injuries, and another 20 people were treated at the scene for minor injuries, said Dave Kitchin of North West Ambulance Service.
    Brian Melley, Chicago Tribune, 27 May 2025
  • Paramedics rushed 27 victims to hospital, including two who were said to be seriously wounded, while a further 20 fans were treated at the scene for minor injuries.
    Chloe Mayer Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 May 2025
Adjective
  • In Madrid, little is known about Bellingham’s social life.
    Gregg Evans, New York Times, 30 May 2025
  • That is why the reappraisal of Biden’s physical and mental abilities while in office has so far done little to reassure the public.
    W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 30 May 2025
Adjective
  • Here’s why: Although technical specifications are still being worked out, the new standard could deliver nominal peak data rates of more than 40Gbps.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 20 May 2025
  • The main question of contemporary cinema isn’t (pace the nominal avant-garde) whether to tell a story but what story to tell, how to tell it, and, for that matter, what a story is.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 20 May 2025
Adjective
  • The second season of HBO's zombie smash ends with battles both big and small, a major death, and a time rewind.
    Sara Netzley, EW.com, 26 May 2025
  • To meet rising demand, companies sprang up and began churning out rides – smaller versions for traveling carnivals and larger ones for town squares and amusement parks.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 26 May 2025
Noun
  • They were quickly showered with boos and insults, along with various food items and beverages, including my mother’s large Pepsi.
    Leonard Greene, New York Daily News, 17 May 2025
  • Students understood the insult – and its historical sting.
    Simon Montlake, Christian Science Monitor, 16 May 2025
Verb
  • Moskowitz said at the time, with tongue in cheek, he was offended by the low price, writing on social media that the store had reduced the value of his life’s work to less than $9.
    Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 27 May 2025
  • Richard was known for being outspoken, if not arrogant, consistently rubbing his Tagi tribe the wrong way and offending some of them with his blatant display of nudity on the island.
    Nick Caruso, TVLine, 27 May 2025
Verb
  • My husband was isolating in our spare bedroom, leaving food outside my door three times a day.
    Lizz Schumer, People.com, 31 May 2025
  • Each bar also contained a dark chocolate coating made with cocoa sweetener, vegetable dietary fiber, maltitol syrup, soy nuggets, soy protein isolate, chopped cocoa cookie, sunflower oil, and sorbitol syrup.
    Sarah Garone, Health, 29 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Slight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slight. Accessed 3 Jun. 2025.

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