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
Tuesday will be partly sunny with a high near 92 and a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms at night. — The Baltimore Sun, Baltimore Sun, 29 Aug. 2026 Return pie to oven and bake 15 to 20 minutes more, till custard is just set with slight wobble in center. — ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026
Noun
But the Hornets will embrace this projection as a slight as the team with the most to prove. — Joe Davidson, Sacbee.com, 22 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
For each of the murders, the four men either lured or abducted and drove the victims to the Angeles National Forest after the victims slighted the gang in different ways, according to the Justice Department. — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 5 June 2026 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 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 African economies are in a much weaker economic position compared to the strong 2015-2016 El Niño, the IIF report said, largely due to higher oil prices, which have driven up transport costs, and a strong US dollar.
    — Paige Bruton, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • Too much nitrogen in the spring creates a weak root system that isn’t able to withstand the heat and drought in summer.
    — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of weak
Adjective
  • Steppach, 49, was the owner of Tim’s Tavern on Edison Avenue, where people protested daily in December after Steppach pleaded no contest to three misdemeanor counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a minor.
    — Grant Lancaster, Arkansas Online, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The anger fueled the rise of Sanseito, a minor right-wing party that rallied against immigrants in recent elections, putting pressure on the ruling Liberal Democratic Party government.
    — Christine Miyawaki, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • Elsewhere, Hailey Bieber gave us a lesson in polished wedding guest glam, while Joey King played with the little details on the Practical Magic 2 promo tour.
    — Anna Cafolla, Vogue, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Bohm cited a 2020 crash that killed 20-year-old driver Ezekial Bishop and his passenger, 18-year-old Ryan Breaux, recording artist Frank Ocean's little brother.
    — Amanda Lee Myers, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of little
Adjective
  • The creditor will still have to fork over hard cash to pay for the costs of the auction (which is usually nominal) as well as to compensate the debtor for any exemption value of that asset.
    — Jay Adkisson, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • In the original lawsuit, Hanaway only sought $1 in nominal damages for the state, Cacioppo and his business, Industrial Salvage and Wrecking.
    — Jack Harvel August 26, Kansas City Star, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of nominal
Adjective
  • That’s a dangerous prospect for any country, but especially for Singapore, crammed into a space smaller than New York City.
    — Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
  • But after home brewers were able to show the appeal of hoppy IPAs, malty stouts and citrusy wheat ales, that eventually led to a boom in small breweries.
    — Maureen Groppe, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of small
Noun
  • He was subsequently dismissed by Dior and, months later, found guilty by a French court of making public insults based on origin, religion, race, or ethnicity.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 31 Aug. 2026
  • The arrest came after Kelley Wolf had reportedly made a series of hostile social media posts, which featured insults and allegations against various friends and family, including her ex-husband, Wolf.
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of insult
Verb
  • Goebel later emphasized that the maze was not meant to endorse everything Kirk said or did, nor dismiss concerns from people offended by some of his remarks.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Here’s what to bring, when to show up and how to ask for a better price without offending the person who grew your dinner.
    — Lauren Schuster, Sacbee.com, 1 Sep. 2026
Definition of offend
Verb
  • The rare meeting underscored Washington's willingness to reopen high-level diplomatic channels with Moscow, even as European allies have intended to keep the nation isolated while the war continues.
    — Anniek Bao, CNBC, 1 Sep. 2026
  • When practical, keep at least one backup disconnected from your computer or otherwise isolated from routine activity.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 1 Sep. 2026
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 5 Sep. 2026.

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