SLIGHT Synonyms: 546 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

slight 1 of 3

adjective

ˈslīt

Definition of slight

as in weak

lacking bodily strength a small lad with a slight build

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in minor

lacking importance a slight comedy that did nothing to further her career

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in little

of a size that is less than average the slight youth packed a surprisingly solid punch

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in small

small in degree only a slight chance of success

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

slight

3 of 3

verb

as in to insult

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in to ignore

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

That also means steering away from even the slight, surface-level ideas that movie raised about AI. — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026 Sutton’s volume has taken a slight hit this year, but his catch rate has dropped substantially. — Jonathan Rubin, Charlotte Observer, 14 Oct. 2026

Noun

The pair came away from that incident, and more subtle slights (like having to wait 20 minutes to be seated in a mostly empty restaurant), with a better understanding of each other. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 25 Aug. 2026 And everyone deals with this implicit slight to their precarious lifestyle differently. — Judy Berman, Time, 11 Aug. 2026

Verb

Luckily for Rhaena, Lady Jeyne is a pragmatist — and one who feels slighted by Rhaenyra. — Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 29 June 2026 Militia commanders were already feeling slighted by their British overlords, and London’s stranglehold on trade and manufacturing caused still more resentment. — Ann Manov, Harpers Magazine, 23 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for slight

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slight

Adjective

Studies have shown that countries with stronger IP systems tend to be more innovative, while weaker IP systems may stifle innovation.

— Andrei Iancu, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
Are scientists hindered by a weak grasp of the physics driving GRBs?

— Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of weak

Adjective

Although the mattress developed some minor misshaping after a month of heavy use, Moon still thinks it’s packed with value.

— Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026
Zachary Christian Cooper, 22, of Boyd was arrested by Department of Public Safety investigators Thursday morning at the Rhome Fire Department, on allegations of online solicitation of a minor and possessing child pornography.

— Elizabeth Campbell, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of minor

Adjective

Depending on the machine and settings, that material ends up in a purge tower built alongside the print, or in a collection of little plastic doll's-house-looking spaghetti balls, affectionately known as printer poop.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
That gives One Roof a significant advantage over competing Seattle bidders and little incentive to offer anything close to $10 billion.

— Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of little

Adjective

Municipal compost operations tend only to accept leaves generated by that town and may also provide small quantities of finished compost to residents for free or at a nominal charge, according to DEEP.

— Stephen Underwood, Hartford Courant, 18 Oct. 2026
Assuming interest rates of 4% to 5%, Swagel estimated that nominal GDP growth would have to reach 7%-8%, and real GDP growth would have to hit 5%-6% in order to stabilize the debt.

— Jason Ma, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of nominal

Adjective

Comparing households aged 72 and older in 2022 with those aged 75 and older in 2025, Maggiulli calculated a smaller—but still substantial—21% increase.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
The development could help make optical atomic clocks smaller and more suitable for use outside laboratories.

— Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026

Definition of small

Noun

Try to remember that your teen’s eyes were focused squarely on the $100 prize and so this is an issue of overlooking rather than one of insult.

— R. Eric Thomas, Chicago Tribune, 18 Oct. 2026
Yet in a land where machismo still reigns, it’s considered a rather severe insult.

— Jeanne Bonner, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of insult

Verb

Justice Diana Kavedza Mochache said in a hearing lasting more than eight hours that in some cases children were isolated and denied food while their parents watched.

— Jefferson Kahinju Reuters, Arkansas Online, 20 Oct. 2026
Analyzing them together helps cancel some random variations and isolate the underlying physics.

— Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of isolate

Browse Nearby Words

sliding

slight

slighted

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Cite this Entry

Style

“Slight.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slight. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of slight

adjective

noun

verb

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Synonyms of slight

adjective

noun

verb

Synonym Chooser

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to slight

‘Sleight’ or ‘Slight’ of Hand?

Cite this Entry

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