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

Females tend to gain weight until about age 65.7 As a result, older adults may become more slender. —Mark Gurarie, Health, 14 Dec. 2024

Eby’s New Democratic Party won a slender majority in the October election, extending his tenure as premier. —Gene Maddaus, Variety, 13 Dec. 2024

And though women like Ms. Caruso or Ms. Kirke (not to mention crop-top aficionados like Kendall Jenner, Hailey Bieber and Bella Hadid) may be slender enough to wear an actual child’s shirt, there now exist many more options to span generations and body types. —April Daniels Hussar, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2024

Portugal is a slender strip of land about the size of Maine boarded by Spain in the east and the Atlantic Ocean in the west. —Anthony Demarco, Forbes, 21 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sclendre, slendre, from Anglo-French esclendre

First Known Use

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

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