slight 1 of 3

adjective

ˈslīt How to pronounce slight (audio)
Definition of slightnext
1
as in weak
lacking bodily strength a small lad with a slight build

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2
as in minor
lacking importance a slight comedy that did nothing to further her career

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3
as in little
of a size that is less than average the slight youth packed a surprisingly solid punch

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4
as in nominal
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention apart from a slight fishy taste, the dish was fine

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5
as in small
small in degree only a slight chance of success

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slight

2 of 3

noun

as in insult
an act or expression showing scorn and usually intended to hurt another's feelings refused to respond to their petty slights

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slight

3 of 3

verb

1
as in to insult
to cause hurt feelings or deep resentment in the dancers felt slighted by the harsh comments of the judges

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2
as in to isolate
to deliberately ignore or treat rudely as a temp worker, she often feels slighted by the people she has to work with

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3
as in to disdain
to show contempt for music critics who slight any style of music that doesn't fit their personal taste

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4
as in to ignore
to fail to give proper attention to slighted several major authors in her survey of 20th-century fiction

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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
There may be slight deviations from the podcast audio. —Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 13 Oct. 2025 Posed with a slight smile, the now 8-year-old has shed the long, bouncy curls Drake fans had grown accustomed to. —Demicia Inman, VIBE.com, 13 Oct. 2025
Noun
He was reminded that his career had been shaped by overcoming doubts and slights going back to high school, when he was offered the same amount of Division I football scholarships that were offered to the average sportswriter who covers him. —Ian O'Connor, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2025 The Gabriela Hearst trenchcoat dress included a double-breasted design with sinuous lapels and a thigh-high slight. —Julia Teti, Footwear News, 8 Sep. 2025
Verb
The negotiations around the three-year deals is complicated due to the fact that MLB is also trying not to slight two of its other rights holders. —Joe Reedy, Chicago Tribune, 22 Aug. 2025 Along with Immunis, the competing teams include a biotech company run by his best friend and several longevity clinics that felt slighted by Diamandis’s claims that Fountain Life is superior to its peers. —Tad Friend, New Yorker, 4 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slight
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slight
  1. weak
  2. minor
  3. little
  4. nominal
  5. small
  6. insult
  7. offend
  8. isolate
Adjective
  • What has changed is that higher ed itself is arguably weaker than ever.
    — Emma Green, New Yorker, 13 Oct. 2025
  • In fact, weather models vary widely on how strong Lorenzo could get in the coming days, ranging from a weak tropical storm to a Category 2 hurricane, the hurricane center said.
    — Doyle Rice, USA Today, 13 Oct. 2025
Definition of weak
Adjective
  • Soundside flooding with minor impacts are anticipated later today through at least Wednesday.
    — NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2025
  • Conley likens the hours following a playoff exit to the immediate aftermath of a minor car accident.
    — Jace Frederick, Twin Cities, 13 Oct. 2025
Definition of minor
Adjective
  • Meanwhile, Bad Bunny has commented little, save for an SNL monologue poking fun at the situation.
    — Rolling Stone, Rolling Stone, 12 Oct. 2025
  • After Texas produced little in the run game at Florida, Wisner proved elusive, dodging and breaking tackles to produce chunk plays and keep Texas moving down the field.
    — Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025
Definition of little
Adjective
  • Drake sought nominal, compensatory, and punitive damages, plus legal fees.
    — Wesley Stenzel, Entertainment Weekly, 10 Oct. 2025
  • However, at least 23 countries in sub-Saharan Africa are in debt distress or at high risk of distress, the World Bank’s recent assessment noted, with public debt in nominal terms and as a share of GDP nearly doubling over the last decade.
    — Alexander Onukwue, semafor.com, 8 Oct. 2025
Definition of nominal
Adjective
  • Designed for portability and performance The DGX Spark is small enough to fit in a backpack yet powerful enough to run modern AI reasoning models.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2025
  • The lasagna gets topped with a layer of small, early spring bulbs like crocuses.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 13 Oct. 2025
Definition of small
Noun
  • Several diss tracks followed, with the musicians hurling increasingly spiteful insults at each other relating to accusations of domestic abuse, exploitation and pedophilia.
    — Ethan Millman, HollywoodReporter, 9 Oct. 2025
  • After a small crowd outside Boston’s customs house pelted redcoats with rocks, snowballs, and insults, the soldiers opened fire, killing five and wounding 12 more.
    — Time, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Definition of insult
Verb
  • Such restrictions on the sale of chips offended China, Luria said, and ultimately led to Beijing limiting the purchase of chips to their companies.
    — Auzinea Bacon, CNN Money, 10 Oct. 2025
  • The soldiers’ pastimes of drinking, gambling, and brawling also offended many Bostonians, who retained the piety of their Pilgrim ancestors.
    — Time, Time, 9 Oct. 2025
Definition of offend
Verb
  • The tide could be a foot higher than the point where major flooding begins that can produce severe damage to homes and businesses, making some roads impassable and isolating neighborhoods.
    — Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 11 Oct. 2025
  • Aid is expected to flow into Gaza, where scenes of devastation and hunger, as well as a famine declaration, have prompted outrage around the world and left Israel isolated diplomatically.
    — Yamiche Alcindor, NBC news, 10 Oct. 2025
Definition of isolate

Browse Nearby Words

sliding
slight
slighted
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Cite this Entry

“Slight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slight. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

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