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

The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control. — Star-Telegram Weather Bot, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 July 2026

The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control. — Kansas City Star Weather Bot, Kansas City Star, 4 July 2026

Verb

Offices begin thinning out by Thursday, grills run through the weekend, and by Tuesday morning the out-of-office replies come down and the machine restarts. — Alexander Puutio, Forbes.com, 2 July 2026

Select lots of the thinning hair shampoo have been recalled due to the presence of Pluralibacter gergoviae bacteria. — Kara Nesvig, Allure, 2 July 2026

Phrases Containing thin

• thin on the ground