thin 1 of 2

adjective

ˈthin How to pronounce thin (audio)
Definition of thinnext
1
as in skinny
having a noticeably small amount of body fat after starting a workout routine, she looked thinner

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slender
being of less than usual width the thin threads of a cobweb

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3
as in thinned
not containing very much of some important element the evidence for that oddball theory is pretty thin

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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 thin
Adjective
With the press of a button, a thin string levitates and dances through the air, zipping, looping, and floating in mesmerizing patterns. —Emily Glover, Parents, 2 Oct. 2025 The Longhorns are a little thin up front and will need Vokietaitis to produce. —Cj Moore, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Verb
October can be the sweet spot with color still lingering in the lower elevations and crowds thinning all over the park. —Graham Averill, Outside, 26 Sep. 2025 Guevara stood on the sidewalk with other journalists until a police line began moving toward a thinning crowd of protesters. —Eduardo Cuevas, USA Today, 25 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for thin
Recent Examples of Synonyms for thin
  1. skinny
  2. slender
  3. dilute
  4. bony
  5. narrow
  6. diluted
  7. cut
  8. lean
Adjective
  • But does Hegseth want the best generals, or just the best skinny ones?
    — Benjamin Wallace-Wells, New Yorker, 5 Oct. 2025
  • Guayabero River knifefish have skinny, elongated bodies reaching just over 7 inches in length, the study said.
    — Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of skinny
Adjective
  • Chives Use these slender green leaves well into football season with a fall planting.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Ostrich dinosaurs walked on two long, slender hind legs and had a long neck with a small head, similar to modern ostriches, experts said.
    — Lauren Liebhaber September 22, Miami Herald, 22 Sep. 2025
Definition of slender
Verb
  • The 2024 European Parliament elections strengthened far-right blocs and pushed the centre-right toward diluting elements of the Green Deal, reframing climate rules as sovereignty or competitiveness threats and amplifying cost-of-living and farmer-protest narratives.
    — Felicia Jackson, Forbes.com, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Bitcoin treasury craze cools Companies that diluted their stock by selling shares specifically to fund Bitcoin purchases have seen their values tumble by 20% to 50%, according to the WSJ.
    — Diane Brady, Fortune, 2 Oct. 2025
Definition of dilute
Adjective
  • Lift your hips off the ground and place a block underneath your sacrum, the widest, boniest part of your pelvis.
    — Cory Martin, Verywell Health, 16 Oct. 2024
  • Differences in Adult Bones That being said, some adults are bonier than others.
    — Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 3 Nov. 2023
Definition of bony
Adjective
  • But those plans can be quite narrow and ineffective for addressing flood damage.
    — Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Wide, shallow pans allow alcohol to evaporate more quickly than deep, narrow ones.
    — Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
Definition of narrow
Adjective
  • Spray the door generously with cleaner or use a microfiber cloth to wet the door with the diluted vinegar mixture.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 23 Sep. 2025
  • Too many companies try to achieve a laundry list of objectives, resulting in a diluted and less-effective program.
    — Erika Andersson, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025
Definition of diluted
Verb
  • Vance said one portion of Democrats are making unreasonable demands to restore more than $1 trillion over the next decade in healthcare spending that was cut earlier this year.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
  • Training, professional development, and the Safe Cities Partnership are among the areas cut.
    — Paul Egan, Freep.com, 3 Oct. 2025
Definition of cut
Adjective
  • Eating a heart-healthy diet rich in fruits, vegetables, healthy fats, and lean proteins is one way to mitigate the risk of heart disease.
    — Alexa Mikhail, Flow Space, 1 Oct. 2025
  • Chicken breast is a good source of lean protein.
    — Lindsey DeSoto, Health, 1 Oct. 2025
Definition of lean

Phrases Containing thin

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thimblerigs
thin
thing
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Cite this Entry

“Thin.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/thin. Accessed 9 Oct. 2025.

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