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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

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slight

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noun

slight

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verb

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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 is a slight chance of showers after 4 a.m. with a partly cloudy night. Baltimore Sun Staff, Baltimore Sun, 15 July 2025 Mostly cloudy, with a low around 84. July 18: A slight chance of showers, with thunderstorms also possible after 11am. Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 15 July 2025
Noun
Despite the fact that nobody present has any interest in ecclesiastical architecture, the meetings are hot with petty slights, indignant stares, fragile alliances and hostile incursions. New York Times, 3 May 2025 Some Jews heard anti-Israel currents in portions of the Black Lives Matter platform, while some Black activists perceived Jewish silence on police brutality; social media amplified every slight. Ed Gaskin, Boston Herald, 24 May 2025
Verb
Plus, an in-demand restaurant at capacity might not feel particularly motivated to go above and beyond to satisfy a diner who feels slighted by their subpar table. Maggie Hennessy, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Apr. 2025 Was slighting the defense to improve the offense worth risking a miss on several top defensive prospects? Mike Kaye, Charlotte Observer, 27 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slight
Adjective
  • Witness the rally in the railroads last week that crushed shorts banking on weaker transport earnings.
    Jim Cramer, CNBC, 21 July 2025
  • This weak cash generation capability raises questions about the company’s ability to fund growth investments and return capital to shareholders.
    Trefis Team, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
Adjective
  • Besides the home advantage, Pia Sundhage’s side had a minor edge on goal difference, which meant a draw would be enough for them.
    Neel Shelat, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
  • Right now, a handful of attorneys are exploiting our legal system, filing thousands of cookie-cutter lawsuits against businesses for minor technical violations.
    Aaron Hichman, Mercury News, 12 July 2025
Adjective
  • If Brookshire bounces back the next year, Schroth predicts there will be little reaction from neighbors.
    Zoey Thomas, The Orlando Sentinel, 15 July 2025
  • From returning carts to sharing smiles in the checkout line, shoppers often engage in little acts of kindness that brighten someone’s day.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 July 2025
Adjective
  • However, New Delhi must address a number of chronic systemic issues that prevent the world’s fourth largest economy ($4.19 trillion by nominal gross domestic product) from becoming a competitive manufacturing destination.
    Kamran Bokhari, Forbes.com, 17 July 2025
  • The Congressional Budget Office projected the increase in migrants would boost the U.S. nominal GDP by $8.9 trillion between 2024 to 2034.
    Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 15 July 2025
Adjective
  • This ultra-lightweight chair weighs just 3 pounds and packs into a carrying case the size of a small purse.
    Melanie Fincher, Southern Living, 12 July 2025
  • In a small bowl, whisk together olive oil, lemon juice, black pepper and garlic powder.
    Bethany Thayer, Freep.com, 12 July 2025
Noun
  • And the gratuitous insults—to NATO allies, the European Union, the BRICs, the United Nations, or the World Health Organization—continue to flow from the president.
    MARGARET MACMILLAN, Foreign Affairs, 21 July 2025
  • The Steals and Deals segment on the WFTV newscasts are annoying and an insult to the viewers!
    Ticked Off, The Orlando Sentinel, 20 July 2025
Verb
  • The firing of career prosecutors calls to mind how Bondi, as Florida attorney general, forced out two assistants who offended a Jacksonville company linked to mortgage fraud investigations.
    Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 14 July 2025
  • Some of Lamar’s bars in that track offended Drake and helped ignite their public feud.
    Hugh McIntyre, Forbes.com, 14 July 2025
Verb
  • The incident is believed to be isolated and Boodarian is not a suspect in any other burglaries, the sources said.
    Julie Sone, ABC News, 15 July 2025
  • While some environmental bacteria are known to isolate PFAS, the chemicals' interaction with human gut bacteria has been unclear.
    Jay Kakade July 12, New Atlas, 12 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Slight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slight. Accessed 26 Jul. 2025.

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