Synonyms of thin

thin 1 of 2

adjective

ˈthin 

1

as in skinny

having a noticeably small amount of body fat

after starting a workout routine, she looked thinner

Synonyms & Similar Words

• skinny
• slender
• bony
• lean
• slim
• gaunt
• angular
• svelte
• lithe
• skeletal
• trim
• haggard
• fatless
• spare
• wiry
• willowy
• scrawny
• stringy
• lanky
• spindly
• reedy
• weedy
• sinewy
• lank
• twiggy
• rawboned
• pinched
• scraggy
• emaciated
• anorexic
• sylphlike
• meager
• puny
• waspish
• rangy
• clean-limbed
• wizened
• cadaverous
• anorectic
• slight
• wasted
• spindling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• thick
• fat
• plump
• chubby
• overweight
• gross
• bulky
• obese
• heavy
• corpulent
• rotund
• fleshy
• stocky
• portly
• stout
• chunky
• tubby
• beefy
• weighty
• heavyset
• thickset
• burly
• husky
• stubby
• pudgy
• brawny
• dumpy
• squat
• soft
• paunchy
• flabby
• potbellied
• buxom
• full
• round
• roly-poly
• hippy
• zaftig

2

as in slender

being of less than usual width

the thin threads of a cobweb

Synonyms & Similar Words

• slender
• narrow
• skinny
• fine
• slim
• paper-thin
• tight
• ultrathin
• needlelike
• linear
• close
• spare
• condensed
• elongate
• compressed
• slim-jim
• tightened
• squeezed
• hairline
• attenuated
• stringy
• constricted
• wispy
• lanky
• spindly
• reedy
• willowy
• contracted
• twiggy
• rangy
• lank
• attenuate
• stalky
• bottleneck
• shoestring

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• wide
• broad
• fat
• thick
• stocky
• chunky
• stumpy
• squat
• bulky
• thickset
• massive
• voluminous
• thickish
• widish

3

as in thinned

not containing very much of some important element

the evidence for that oddball theory is pretty thin

Synonyms & Similar Words

• thinned
• dilute
• diluted
• weak
• washy
• watery
• weakened
• adulterated
• watered-down

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rich
• strong
• fortified
• enriched
• full-bodied
• concentrated
• condensed
• evaporated

thin

2 of 2

verb

as in to dilute

to alter (something) for the worse with the addition of foreign or lower-grade substances

thinned the cream with milk but didn't tell anyone

Synonyms & Similar Words

• dilute
• cut
• dirty
• load
• weaken
• poison
• pollute
• manipulate
• infect
• extend
• water down
• lace
• adulterate
• spoil
• soil
• taint
• degrade
• sophisticate
• contaminate
• corrupt
• temper
• moderate
• defile
• fake
• foul
• counterfeit
• attenuate
• cheapen
• debase
• sully
• misrepresent
• spike
• falsify
• tamper (with)
• fudge
• qualify
• befoul
• doctor
• envenom

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• strengthen
• enrich
• fortify
• reinforce
• supplement
• fertilize
• augment
• clean
• better
• improve
• lard
• compact
• purify
• richen
• refine
• filter
• flush
• enhance
• clarify
• decontaminate
• leach
• cleanse
• purge
• distill
• concentrate
• condense
• pasteurize

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective thin contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of thin are slender, slight, slim, and tenuous. While all these words mean "not thick, broad, abundant, or dense," 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

In what contexts can slender take the place of thin?

The words slender and thin can be used in similar contexts, but slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion.

the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

When would slight be a good substitute for thin?

The synonyms slight and thin are sometimes interchangeable, but slight implies smallness as well as thinness.

a slight build

When is it sensible to use slim instead of thin?

The words slim and thin are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness.

a slim volume of poetry

a slim chance

Where would tenuous be a reasonable alternative to thin?

In some situations, the words tenuous and thin are roughly equivalent. However, tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness.

a tenuous thread

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of thin

Adjective

Set the scene On the second and last morning of my weekend at Winvian, a soft snow came upon the place and landed in a thin blanket. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Aug. 2026

The league could create some sort of criteria out of thin air — most of these trans arguments are created out of thin air, so this would be easy — and wiggle their way out of the mess that way. — Zach Dean Outkick, FOXNews.com, 8 Aug. 2026

Verb

But Democrats have a far better chance of narrowing an already thinning GOP majority, leaving Republicans with less wiggle room for defections or even routine absences. — Greg Bluestein, AJC.com, 11 Aug. 2026

As the air thins, so do the trees, revealing sunlit mountaintop meadows dotted with wildflowers. — Zoe Baillargeon, Travel + Leisure, 10 Aug. 2026

Phrases Containing thin

• thin on the ground