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

These tall, slender plants are easily maintained in a compact form. —Andy Wilcox, Better Homes & Gardens, 2 Jan. 2025

The slender giant moray (Strophidon sathete) and a few other species can also tolerate and occasionally enter lower-salinity environments such as river mouths. —Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 2 Jan. 2025

In January, 2016, David Cameron, the former Conservative Prime Minister, announced that the new structure would be built in Victoria Tower Gardens, a slender triangular park, overhung with forty-four plane trees, that follows the banks of the River Thames. —Sam Knight, The New Yorker, 2 Jan. 2025

This question is prompted by a slender hardbound copy currently on view at the Grolier Club. —Jonathon Keats, Forbes, 30 Dec. 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