Definition of slightnext
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slight

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noun

slight

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verb

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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
Synonym cannot help but feel slight when held up to No More Water. — David Harris, SPIN, 6 Oct. 2026 Mask Mode is another very welcome addition, especially as someone with a slight face mask addiction. — Shani Cohen, Glamour, 6 Oct. 2026
Noun
More than three decades after his prime, those omissions still clearly bother the seven-time Blue Jays All-Star, who offered an explanation for the slights. — Peter Chawaga, Forbes.com, 25 July 2026 Skubal’s energy and edge are tools, sharpened over the years and ready to deploy against slights real or invented. — Cody Stavenhagen, New York Times, 22 July 2026
Verb
Luckily for Rhaena, Lady Jeyne is a pragmatist — and one who feels slighted by Rhaenyra. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026 Militia commanders were already feeling slighted by their British overlords, and London’s stranglehold on trade and manufacturing caused still more resentment. — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for slight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slight
Adjective
  • Most franchise advertising does not fail because the brand is weak or the market is dry.
    — Jonathan Durante, Forbes.com, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Historically, midterm years see weaker returns, but better times await the following year , especially if there is gridlock from a divided Congress.
    — Jim Cramer, CNBC, 4 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The bus and a security checkpoint booth were damaged, and one border service employee suffered minor injuries, police said.
    — HANNA ARHIROVA, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • In the 120 years that the State Russian Museum has owned the painting, only minor conservation has been carried out.
    — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 6 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • But little progress has been made towards implementing a deal to end the conflict, which includes terms for Hamas to disarm and Israel to withdraw its troops.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 4 Oct. 2026
  • The Salem witch trials of 1692 carved out an enduring and powerful niche in American history for this little town, and this intimate, kitschy museum does an excellent job telling the story.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Not a crisis — yet The negative feedback loop becomes more dangerous when nominal economic growth falls to low levels, causing debt relative to the size of the economy to rise persistently, Reese said.
    — Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 5 Oct. 2026
  • The Iran war, forest fires and thunderstorms are all talking points this week as F1 gears up for a Bahrain GP held 3,750 miles (6,000 kilometers) away from its nominal host nation.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Only about a dozen countries have active programs, including small Caribbean island states.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The treasurer’s office says the administrative cost of processing very small payments can exceed their value.
    — Mark Lewyn, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • A lot of that is studying how dry bone, fresh bone, bone that is exposed to different types of forces will react to different types of insults.
    — Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Still, Nintendo understands, more than most of its rivals, that family-friendly gaming doesn’t have to be an insult.
    — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 5 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • Are the Norwegian authorities concerned for children’s safety — or are they offended by this family’s rigidly patriarchal beliefs, which include intolerance toward homosexuality?
    — Tim Grierson, Los Angeles Times, 7 Oct. 2026
  • Nathan is offended and starts going on his usual rant about not tolerating disrespect toward his family.
    — Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 6 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • We are constantly connected, yet often isolated, each with our own voice while genuine dialogue can be hard to achieve.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
  • After the man arrived in Nairobi, his relatives took him in a private vehicle to Nairobi Hospital, where he was immediately isolated.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 7 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Slight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slight. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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