slight 1 of 3

adjective

ˈslīt How to pronounce slight (audio)
Definition of slightnext
1
as in weak
lacking bodily strength a small lad with a slight build

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in minor
lacking importance a slight comedy that did nothing to further her career

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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
4
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention apart from a slight fishy taste, the dish was fine

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in small
small in degree only a slight chance of success

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

slight

2 of 3

noun

as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings refused to respond to their petty slights

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

slight

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to insult
to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment in the dancers felt slighted by the harsh comments of the judges

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to isolate
to deliberately ignore or treat rudely as a temp worker, she often feels slighted by the people she has to work with

Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to disdain
to show contempt for music critics who slight any style of music that doesn't fit their personal taste

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to ignore
to fail to give proper attention to slighted several major authors in her survey of 20th-century fiction

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
There may be slight deviations from the podcast audio. —Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 27 Oct. 2025 At the neckline, slight fabric draping created a subtle ruffle effect, following through to the low back of the dress. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2025
Noun
Leonora measures out her days in courtesies and slights, the former dominating the beginning of the book, the latter rapidly gaining ground. —Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2025 While little comprehensive national data is available, a survey of NGCOA members shows 88% expect Trump’s tariffs on Canada to have a slight to significant impact on their business. —Brendan Coffey, Sportico.com, 10 Sep. 2025
Verb
The former Michigan and San Diego State coach, simply put, has been slighted by the hall. —Nick Canepa, San Diego Union-Tribune, 13 Sep. 2025 While fans welcomed the news, some of the original cast members felt slighted by the timing. —Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 9 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slight
  1. weak
  2. minor
  3. little
  4. nominal
  5. small
  6. insult
  7. offend
  8. isolate
Adjective
  • Relief on that levy—which stacks on top of Liberation Day tariffs—could be a boon for the Asian nation at a time when domestic demand is weak.
    — Bloomberg, Fortune, 27 Oct. 2025
  • There, interactions between streams of liquid iron generate a magnetic field one quintillion times more powerful than that of an ordinary lab magnet (but thousands of times weaker than the Sun’s).
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
Definition of weak
Adjective
  • Many of them see it as a serious sign of lack of compatibility, rather than a minor difference in opinion.
    — Suzanne Blake, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Oct. 2025
  • Given the gale force NE'rly winds some minor soundside coastal flooding (up to 1-2 ft) may also occur starting with the Tue afternoon high tide cycle as well.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 27 Oct. 2025
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • Inside, two picnic tables were stacked on top of each other, leaving little room to climb.
    — Quinn Clark, jsonline.com, 27 Oct. 2025
  • During last week's episode, viewers saw Dylan dance with his little sister, Olivia, for Dedication Night on.
    — Charlotte Phillipp, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
Definition of little
Adjective
  • The focus was to provide more attacking numbers in advanced areas to maintain territorial dominance, with a midfield pair — or ‘double pivot’ — providing the defensive foundation behind a nominal front four.
    — Mark Carey, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
  • Alongside contemporaries including Erykah Badu, Lauryn Hill and Maxwell, the neo-soul class focused on recapturing the live, thick instrumentation, rich songwriting and weighted, passionate delivery of its nominal genre predecessor.
    — Trevor Anderson, Billboard, 22 Oct. 2025
Definition of nominal
Adjective
  • Add the ginger during the last minute of cooking, then transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside.
    — Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Martin knocked on the hunter’s small tent.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Definition of small
Noun
  • The Special Olympics has been fighting against the discriminatory use of the word since the term’s early days as an insult.
    — Kate Reilly, NBC news, 30 Oct. 2025
  • The race has been no short of dogged, as insults between the candidates on the debate stage have led to archives investigations and defamation lawsuit threats.
    — Molly Parks, The Washington Examiner, 30 Oct. 2025
Definition of insult
Verb
  • This may include intense reactions that do not match the situation, or the need to be very careful not to upset or offend them.
    — Dr. Theresa T. Nguyen, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
  • The advertisement is unlikely to offend audiences, particularly in places like the United States or Sweden that are not necessarily feeling the pain of the heist, Mulvey said.
    — Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of offend
Verb
  • Heavy snow and strong winds could impact major routes, isolate higher-elevation communities, and create hazardous conditions for early-season recreation.
    — Martha McHardy, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Oct. 2025
  • It was observed in thousands of troops during the Korean War, and the first species of the virus that causes it was isolated in a Korean lab in the Seventies.
    — Joy Williams, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025
Definition of isolate

Browse Nearby Words

sliding
slight
slighted
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slight. Accessed 1 Nov. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on slight

Nglish: Translation of slight for Spanish Speakers

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Using Bullet Points ( • )

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

What’s the difference between ‘cemetery’ and ‘graveyard’?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Skibidi, Mog & More: Gen Alpha Slang

13 Wonderful Words That You're Not Using (Yet)

Ten More Words from Taylor Swift Songs

Why do we 'bury the lede?'

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Popular

See More

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Skibidi, Mog & More: Gen Alpha Slang

13 Wonderful Words That You're Not Using (Yet)
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
pastel colored puzzle piece speech bubbles with shadows
Quiz: Find the Missing Link Figure out the word that fits both halves of the ...
See All