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
The slight gains follow Hegseth's latest statement on the blockade of Iranian ports. — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 14 Aug. 2026 According to a poll conducted by Fox News, the Republican leads Acton by 2 percentage points, a slight increase from earlier polling that showed a 50-49 split. — Claire Carter, The Washington Examiner, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
Hello to a new era The relationship was characterized by passive aggression, cryptic tweets and small slights that added up to a big, if not inevitable, breakup. — Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026 On Thursday, July 2, the evening before the wedding, Gomez wore a strapless black dress with a thigh-high slight by the same dress designer for Swift and Kelce's rehearsal dinner at Madison Square Garden. — Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
Verb
Romano’s sturdy book may not stint on examples of Mary’s bad behavior—including a ferociously jealous verbal assault, near the end of the war, on the wife of a prominent Union general—but the biographer keeps tilting against those who slighted Mary in even the most superficial ways. — Thomas Mallon, New Yorker, 18 May 2026 Santa Clara’s Levi Stadium got particularly slighted, with nobody in the top 18 of the FIFA world rankings for any of its five group stage dates. — Mark Zeigler, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 May 2026 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
  • Many forex brokers respond to weak rankings by publishing more market guides, adding country pages and building links.
    — David Ispiryan, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Slow money growth means weak nominal growth and low inflation, which in turn keeps interest rates and bond yields depressed—and the yen weak.
    — Nicholas Gordon, Fortune, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of weak
Adjective
  • Many higher education institutions have started offering classes focused on the burgeoning content creation industry over the past couple years, and several have certificate or minor programs.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • On Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported two identical incidents of drone strikes on tankers in Hormuz a day earlier, causing minor damage but no casualties.
    — Frank Andrews, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • The opening of an Auberge Collection property in the little town of Los Olivos is further proof of the area's status as a preeminent New World wine destination.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Aug. 2026
  • So far, none of those efforts has been successful, and opponents say hunting would do little to address the most problematic bears that tend to live closer to residential neighborhoods.
    — John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of little
Adjective
  • Rather than source a direct, probably expensive, replacement in the market, Carrick fielded a fluid front four on Saturday, with Bryan Mbeumo deputising as the nominal forward.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026
  • United Russia, the country’s nominal ruling party, was never built to designate an heir; rather, it was meant to ensure that elections produced reliably pro-regime seat-fillers in institutions such as parliament.
    — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of nominal
Adjective
  • The merch was originally made for OpenAI employees to purchase on an internal site, but the team decided to make a small capsule collection available to the public.
    — T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
  • Rival online retailers Ozon and Yandex Market use smaller depots spread over a wider network.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of small
Noun
  • There’s blood and insults and exasperation and pain and horror.
    — Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The amendment aims to prevent players from hiding insults or other abuse — including discriminatory remarks — behind their hand, arm or jersey.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of insult
Verb
  • The offending text directed any AI system reviewing the document to ensure textual outputs agreed with the plaintiff’s arguments, ignored prior denials from the court, and ensured that remediation would follow as the plaintiff desired.
    — Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 14 Aug. 2026
  • No woman or girl should have to give up her right to bodily privacy and safety to avoid offending a man.
    — Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of offend
Verb
  • Rice University researchers have found a way to isolate a single magnetic domain in manganese telluride, giving them a clearer view of its magnetic structure and a new way to control an electrical effect in the material.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Some of them, like Kirwin—a former gold and silver boomtown deep in the Absaroka Mountains—are impossibly isolated, accessible only by ATV.
    — Téa Obreht, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Aug. 2026
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 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of slight for Spanish Speakers

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