slim

¹slim

adjective \ˈslim\

slim·merslim·mest

Definition of SLIM

1

: of small diameter or thickness in proportion to the height or length : slender

2

a : mean, worthless

b : adroit, crafty

3

a : inferior in quality or amount : slight

b : scanty, small <a slim chance>

— slim·ly adverb

— slim·ness noun

Examples of SLIM

1. She looked slim and fit for her age.
2. He has a slim build.
3. I was a lot slimmer in those days.
4. They have only a slim chance of winning.

Origin of SLIM

Dutch, bad, inferior, from Middle Dutch slimp crooked, bad; akin to Middle High German slimp awry

First Known Use: 1657

Related to SLIM

Synonyms

fine, hairline, needlelike, paper-thin, skinny, slender, narrow, slim-jim, thin, ultrathin

Antonyms

broad, fat, wide

Related Words

attenuate, attenuated, elongate (or elongated), linear; bottleneck, close, compressed, condensed, constricted, contracted, squeezed, tight, tightened; lanky, rangy, reedy, shoestring, spindly, stalky, stringy, twiggy, willowy, wispy; lank, spare

Near Antonyms

chunky, squat, stocky, stumpy, thick, thickset; bulky, massive, voluminous; thickish, widish

See Synonym Discussion at thin

Rhymes with SLIM

bream, brim, dim, glim, grim, Grimm, gym, him, hymn, limb, limn, mim, nim, prim, rim, scrim, shim, skim, swim, Tim, trim, vim, whim

²slim

verb

slimmedslim·ming

Definition of SLIM

transitive verb

: to make slender : decrease the size of

intransitive verb

: to become slender

Examples of SLIM

1. She started exercising to slim her thighs.
2. I'll skip dessert; I'm slimming.

First Known Use of SLIM

1862