slender

adjective

slen·​der ˈslen-dər 

1

a

: spare in frame or flesh

especially : gracefully slight

b

: small or narrow in circumference or width in proportion to length or height

2

: limited or inadequate in amount or scope : meager

people of slender means

slenderly adverb

slenderness noun

Synonyms

• fine
• hairline
• narrow
• needlelike
• paper-thin
• skinny
• slim
• slim-jim
• thin
• ultrathin

Choose the Right Synonym for slender

thin, slender, slim, slight, tenuous 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

slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion.

the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness.

a slim volume of poetry

a slim chance

slight implies smallness as well as thinness.

a slight build

tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness.

a tenuous thread

Examples of slender in a Sentence

She has a slender figure.

a flower with a slender stem

an animal with a long, slender snout

Recent Examples on the Web

Scattered across a chain of subtropical islands in southwestern Japan, buried under rocks, or deep within the region’s humid soil, researchers discovered seven new species with segmented bodies and dozens of slender legs. —Lauren Liebhaber, Miami Herald, 19 Mar. 2025

Plus, its slender base can slide under chairs, sofas, and beds, minimizing its footprint and keeping its contents as close as needed. —Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 18 Mar. 2025

Each one has a balcony with a view of the mountains or the lake and the slender spire of its pretty Germanic church. —Ann Abel, Forbes, 18 Mar. 2025

In their most intimate moments, Cassidy has felt the tension in the girl’s slender body, nerves strung tight as wires. —Joyce Carol Oates, The New Yorker, 16 Mar. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sclendre, slendre, from Anglo-French esclendre

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for slender

• bender
• blender
• fender
• gender
• lender
• mender
• prendre
• render
• sender
• splendor
• tender
• vender

Kids Definition

slender

adjective

slen·​der ˈslen-dər 

1

: thin entry 1 sense 1, slim

2

: limited or not enough in amount : meager

a slender income

slenderly adverb

slenderness noun