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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective slim contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of slim are slender, slight, tenuous, and thin. While all these words mean "not thick, broad, abundant, or dense," slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness.

a slim volume of poetry
a slim chance

When is it sensible to use slender instead of slim?

The words slender and slim are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion.

the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

Where would slight be a reasonable alternative to slim?

In some situations, the words slight and slim are roughly equivalent. However, slight implies smallness as well as thinness.

a slight build

When can tenuous be used instead of slim?

The words tenuous and slim can be used in similar contexts, but tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness.

a tenuous thread

When is thin a more appropriate choice than slim?

While in some cases nearly identical to slim, 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 slim Although many readers are enjoying a slimmer read these days! Kristen Arnett august 21, Literary Hub, 21 Aug. 2025 The redistricting push comes as Trump’s political team has put pressure on lawmakers to redraw their states’ U.S. House maps so Republicans can maintain a slim majority in Congress. Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 21 Aug. 2025 This mid-decade redistricting, pushed by political leaders aligned with President Donald Trump, is designed to shore up GOP control of the U.S. House, where the party currently holds only a slim majority. Amanda Castro hannah Parry, MSNBC Newsweek, 20 Aug. 2025 The slim time frame between the two events made some politicians suspicious of the reasoning behind The Late Show's cancellation. Rachel Raposas, People.com, 18 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slim
Adjective
  • Only a thin layer of dust brings you back to the present.
    Roger Naylor, AZCentral.com, 29 Aug. 2025
  • Wells Fargo estimates grocery could be a drag on Amazon’s operating income with each percentage point of U.S. market share potentially costing $2.5 billion to $3 billion annually due to thin margins.
    Paulina Likos, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Istanbul pulses with history—its skyline crowned with slender minarets, grand domes, and bustling bazaars filled with copperware, carpets, and the scent of roasted chestnuts.
    Lewis Nunn, Forbes.com, 14 Aug. 2025
  • Ware brought along a friend, a slender man introduced as Catfish who had his own land management problems.
    Andrea Riquier, USA Today, 10 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Gone is the sparse production of Petals or the quiet dissonance of Flowers.
    Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Details on the show are sparse, as the program has not been officially announced.
    Flint McColgan, Boston Herald, 27 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • The slightly smaller Packer Style Ham (17 pounds) sold for $18,500.
    Andy Humbles, The Tennessean, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Another substantial difference was that my dad had 400,000-plus [NASA] people supporting him, while Ed had Tenzing [Norgay] and a small supporting cast of expedition Sherpas and climbers.
    Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • French door and four-door flex models are ideal for wide shelving and drawer accessibility, while side-by-side designs can work well in narrower kitchens.
    Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 29 Aug. 2025
  • The United Auto Workers claimed a narrow, contested victory in a union election at the BlueOval SK Battery Park, in what would be a historic outcome for organized labor in Kentucky's budding battery industry.
    Olivia Evans, The Courier-Journal, 29 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • During the survey, researchers noticed a skinny fish and identified it as a dorozome lizardfish, the first record of the species from Malaysia.
    Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 29 Aug. 2025
  • One of our favorite J.Crew denim jackets is on sale for less than $100, while a classic pair of Levi’s skinny jeans is 64 percent off.
    Rylee Johnston, People.com, 25 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • In that way, Gabbard yet again sacrificed scarce and even unique expertise to please the president.
    Andreas Kluth, Twin Cities, 28 Aug. 2025
  • Junk food is cheap, readily available, and aggressively marketed—while healthy food is scarce and expensive.
    Brian Castrucci, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Adjective
  • Interim manager Ray Montgomery agreed that plan made sense, despite the recent number of off days.
    Jeff Fletcher, Oc Register, 12 Aug. 2025
  • The game was suspended due to rain in the first inning and then completed the following afternoon, which was supposed to be an off day.
    John Perrotto, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Slim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slim. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.

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