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
Starting Friday, Florida will not offer driver's license exams in any language other than English, a change that prompted a slight surge of test‑takers at Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) offices across South Florida before the policy took effect. —Abby Dodge, CBS News, 6 Feb. 2026 Comparing offensive and defensive units, Seattle rates a slight edge with each. —Hank Gola, New York Daily News, 6 Feb. 2026
Noun
Michael Malone, during his Nuggets days, was a genius at creating enemies, of underlining slights that may or may not have ever been real. —Arkansas Online, 15 Jan. 2026 Michael Malone, during his Nuggets days, was a genius at creating enemies, of underlining slights that may or may not have ever been real. —Sean Keeler, Denver Post, 13 Jan. 2026
Verb
Paramount feels slighted and discriminated against in the sale process. —Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 8 Dec. 2025 While these moves don’t slight the new opponents, many believe powerhouse programs like Alabama should be scheduling tougher competition during the season. —Cole Sullivan, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 Dec. 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
  • Defense lawyers contend these cases should never have been brought, with weak evidence that juries consistently reject, prompting legal experts to question the prosecution strategy.
    — Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
  • But some indications suggest that the jobs report could come in weaker than expected.
    — Sarah Min, CNBC, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of weak
Adjective
  • Aside from the three fatalities, four people were hospitalized including two men, both 35, who were in critical condition, and two other men, 37 and 38, who sustained minor injuries, according to the fire department.
    — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
  • Of the more than 70,000 people currently in immigration detention facilities, only about 25% of them have any kind of criminal conviction, which can include traffic violations and other minor offenses, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, which tracks detention data.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • The importance of motive At this point, there’s little to suggest the motive is political or ideological, Leising said.
    — Chris Kenning, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
  • The big-tech releases from last week did little to calm nerves stateside, while some of Europe's biggest names are preparing to report this week.
    — Leonie Kidd, CNBC, 8 Feb. 2026
Definition of little
Adjective
  • Fines can range from a nominal fee to a hefty chunk of change.
    — Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 31 Jan. 2026
  • Trump said on Thursday that the rate should be two to three percentage points lower—such low nominal rates have historically tended to accompany periods of weak or slowing economic activity.
    — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 30 Jan. 2026
Definition of nominal
Adjective
  • This seems odd but ripening fruit releases small amounts of ethylene gas which can reduce the longevity of the arrangement.
    — Chris McKeown, Cincinnati Enquirer, 7 Feb. 2026
  • But the geographical distance is small compared to the geopolitical canyon the Games hope to bridge.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of small
Noun
  • Rockrohr used both sides of this visual coin, telling of groundwork done by the late Harry Teshima to bring Black residents into the community and tales of lasting friendships and stories of insults thrown at Black students.
    — Jerry Shnay, Chicago Tribune, 3 Feb. 2026
  • The scuffles came amid an already intense night, with tensions fueled by a brutal press conference on Thursday for the title fight between Lopez and Stevenson, during which the boxers exchanged insults about each other’s family members.
    — Jessica Schladebeck, New York Daily News, 31 Jan. 2026
Definition of insult
Verb
  • But, stop the presses, even some Republicans were offended.
    — Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 6 Feb. 2026
  • Williams said he was offended until the Hogues explained himself.
    — Timia Cobb Breaking News Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of offend
Verb
  • Premier Protein shake pros One serving of a Premier Protein shake contains 160 calories and 30 grams of protein, which is more than even most whey isolate protein powders, which usually have 20 to 28 grams per serving.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 6 Feb. 2026
  • The individual was traveling while infectious, despite having been told to isolate, according to a Milwaukee Health Department news release.
    — Sarah Volpenhein, jsonline.com, 6 Feb. 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 8 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on slight

Nglish: Translation of slight for Spanish Speakers

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