SLENDER Synonyms: 178 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How does the adjective 'slender' contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of slender are slight , slim , tenuous , and thin . While all these words mean "not thick, broad, abundant, or dense," slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion. // the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

Q: When is 'slight' a more appropriate choice than 'slender'?

The words slight and slender are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, slight implies smallness as well as thinness. // a slight build

Q: When would 'slim' be a good substitute for 'slender'?

The words slim and slender can be used in similar contexts, but slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness. // a slim volume of poetry // a slim chance

Q: In what contexts can 'tenuous' take the place of 'slender'?

Although the words tenuous and slender have much in common, tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness. // a tenuous thread

Q: When might 'thin' be a better fit than 'slender'?

While the synonyms thin and slender are close in meaning, 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

adjective

ˈslen-dər

Definition of slender

as in thin

being of less than usual width graceful, slender table legs

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in skinny

having a noticeably small amount of body fat unsurprisingly, the aerobics instructor is slender and athletic

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in sparse

less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable people of slender means simply can't afford those prices

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective slender contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of slender are slight, slim, tenuous, and thin. While all these words mean "not thick, broad, abundant, or dense," slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion.

the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

When is slight a more appropriate choice than slender?

The words slight and slender are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, slight implies smallness as well as thinness.

a slight build

When would slim be a good substitute for slender?

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

a slim volume of poetry

a slim chance

In what contexts can tenuous take the place of slender?

Although the words tenuous and slender have much in common, tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness.

a tenuous thread

When might thin be a better fit than slender?

While the synonyms thin and slender are close in meaning, 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 slender One, which was a slender ribbon of saplings and grass, led to the grainfield where Kontras had been waiting. — Jeff Murray, Outdoor Life, 20 Aug. 2026 The opportunities for a white woman were slender in the early 20th century, but those for a Black woman were vanishingly small. — Anne E. Fernald, Literary Hub, 19 Aug. 2026 Researchers also examined measurement techniques for slender flying-wing shapes. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026 Guests at Brookfield Zoo can identify her in Dolphin Bay by her distinctive features, including faint white lines along the sides of her head and chest, pink coloration on the underside of her slender rostrum, and gray ventral side. — Adam Harrington, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slender

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slender

Adjective

Deposition systems add extremely thin layers of material onto a silicon wafer.

— Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 7 Sep. 2026
That’s the thin line between moving on to play for an NFC championship and trudging into the heaviest first stage of the offseason.

— Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026

Definition of thin

Adjective

Her humdrum life gives way to beach bonfires at sunset (lensed by Tudor Vladimir Panduru and Fabian Gamper in stunning dusky blues and pinks) and skinny-dipping in the river.

— Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 5 Sep. 2026
These ankle-length skinny jeans come in a dark wash similar to the actress’s, as well as seven other shades.

— Melony Forcier, InStyle, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of skinny

Adjective

Substantially above-average precipitation in states like Indiana, Kentucky and Ohio was canceled out by historically sparse totals recorded in places like California, which had its driest summer since 2002 and its fifth-driest ever recorded.

— Emily Mae Czachor, CBS News, 9 Sep. 2026
But Taylor told Ars that research remains sparse, with OpenAI’s reporting on ChatGPT users offering one of the few indicators of how widespread the problem may be.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of sparse

Adjective

Louisville and Boise State don’t move much after narrow losses to top-10 teams.

— Chris Vannini, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
The extremely short, picometer-scale wavelength of nuclear-decay neutrinos makes the possible collective emission cone extraordinarily narrow.

— Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of narrow

Adjective

Singapore is leveraging its scarce land, energy, and population to bolster its regulatory and agenda-setting power over data centers and sustainability.

— Brian Wong, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
When homes are scarce and expensive, the last thing buyers need is to wonder whether some of the most coveted available inventory is effectively hidden from them.

— Tomas J. Philipson, Chicago Tribune, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of scarce

Adjective

Yordan Alvarez is trying to maintain his Triple Crown pursuit — and carry a top-heavy lineup — while the Astros attempt to hold on to a slim lead atop the American League West.

— Chandler Rome, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
But the chance of the act making it into the Senate’s Farm Bill, and thus the finalized bill, appear slim.

— Kenny Torrella, Vox, 9 Sep. 2026

Definition of slim

Cite this Entry

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“Slender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slender. Accessed 14 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of slender

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