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

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

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3
as in little
of a size that is less than average the slight youth packed a surprisingly solid punch

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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

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5
as in small
small in degree only a slight chance of success

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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

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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

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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

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

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

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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
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
  • Wet and dry fronts, prevailing winds, moisture and vapour, meeting, as luck would have it, exactly at the top of that big mountain on the little island.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • But the shutdown has turned most parks into ghost towns, with little to no staffing or access to amenities and facilities.
    — Aysha Bagchi, USA Today, 2 Nov. 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
  • It was intentionally designed to provoke, to offend, and to remind us that bigotry is still alive and well in certain corners of local leadership.
    — Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 30 Oct. 2025
  • While most scented soaps do a mediocre job of masking food smells with harsh, cheap fragrances, Naomi’s scrub neutralizes offending odors with bread-yeast enzymes, then leaves behind subtle, but incredibly luxurious notes of bergamot, black pepper, sandalwood, and ginger.
    — Editors of Bon Appétit, Bon Appetit Magazine, 29 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
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Cite this Entry

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

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