slim

1 of 2

adjective

slimmer; slimmest
1
: of small diameter or thickness in proportion to the height or length : slender
2
3
a
: inferior in quality or amount : slight
b
: scanty, small
a slim chance
slimly adverb
slimness noun

slim

2 of 2

verb

slimmed; slimming

transitive verb

: to make slender : decrease the size of

intransitive verb

: to become slender
Choose the Right Synonym for slim

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 slim in a Sentence

Adjective She looked slim and fit for her age. He has a slim build. I was a lot slimmer in those days. They have only a slim chance of winning. Verb She started exercising to slim her thighs. I'll skip dessert; I'm slimming.
Recent Examples on the Web
Adjective
Their hopes of reaching another Super Bowl now look slim and history is against them; only six teams have made the playoffs after starting 0-3 since 1979 – and just one since 2000 – with none of them winning the Super Bowl, per the Associated Press. Ben Morse, CNN, 25 Sep. 2024 The National Archives and Records Administration has its slimmest budget in nearly three decades, relative to its holdings. Elyse Graham, TIME, 25 Sep. 2024
Verb
Remember, Apple has managed to slim the new 13-inch iPad Pro down to just 5.1mm, aside from its camera bump. Andrew Liszewski, The Verge, 20 June 2024 Key Background Lyft hasn’t yet achieved profitability, though its fourth quarter and full-year earnings show the company is managing to slim its losses. Antonio Pequeño Iv, Forbes, 13 Feb. 2024 See all Example Sentences for slim 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'slim.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

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

First Known Use

Adjective

1657, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1862, in the meaning defined at transitive sense

Time Traveler
The first known use of slim was in 1657

Dictionary Entries Near slim

Cite this Entry

“Slim.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slim. Accessed 6 Oct. 2024.

Kids Definition

slim

1 of 2 adjective
slimmer; slimmest
1
: of small diameter or thickness in comparison with the height or length
2
a
: low in quality or quantity : slight
b
: scanty, small
has a slim chance of winning
slimly adverb
slimness noun

slim

2 of 2 verb
slimmed; slimming
: to make or become slender

More from Merriam-Webster on slim

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