SLIGHTLY Synonyms: 94 Similar and Opposite Words

slightly

adverb

Definition of slightly

as in barely

by a very small margin I thought the first one was slightly better

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in little

in a very small quantity or degree he was slightly curious about the identity of the wine, but not enough to bother asking

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 slightly This pick has a slightly boxy cut and just-so crop, which feels modern without requiring you to flash your belly button to the masses. — Annie Blackman, InStyle, 29 Aug. 2026 Everyone in Los Angeles apologized to me about the weather, which was warm, breezy, and ever so slightly overcast—in short, perfect. — Becca Rothfeld, New Yorker, 29 Aug. 2026 In practical terms, teams that won more in FCS have done slightly better after moving up, on average. — Giovanni Malloy, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Bake 10 to 12 minutes, till surface is set but layer remains pale and slightly soft. — ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026 Bailey in No Rush Bank of England Governor Andrew Bailey had a slightly different message suggesting no urgency to increase rates. — Maria Eloisa Capurro, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026 Still, there’s a kind of hip, comfort food aspect to the entire enterprise that keeps it an easy, if slightly cluttered and overlong watch. — Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026 Roundabouts now are less likely to have multiple lanes, striping has changed, and entrances to the circles have slightly sharper curves to slow down motorists. — Susan Bromley, Freep.com, 28 Aug. 2026 And for a more lightweight option, the Radiant Finish Foundation boasts similar benefits with a slightly glowy result. — Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 28 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slightly

Adverb

The applause barely stopped, and the crowd sang along to every word as well as danced in their seats throughout the entire two-and-a-half-hour show.

— Nada Aboul Kheir, Deadline, 1 Sep. 2026
That’s a lot to think about barely two months away from a consequential midterm election in which voters will choose a new second-in-command.

— AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of barely

Adverb

Oil prices were also little changed after Iran's Revolutionary Guard said Tehran had reached an agreement with Oman over the control of and revenue from the Strait of Hormuz.

— Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 27 Aug. 2026
Ultimately, the Community Shield may tell us very little about who will lift the Premier League trophy next May.

— Dean Jones, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of little

Adverb

If physical gestures serve our relatives just fine, why did our own branch of the family tree gradually favor biological changes in our brains and anatomy that permitted our characteristic complexities in language and precision in speech?

— Mike McRae September 02, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
Unsurprisingly, the Elie Saab H&M collection plays up after-dark glamour, and just in time for holiday party season, too.

— Tina Isaac-Goizé, Vogue, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of just

Adverb

Flock argues that its cameras, which are nominally intended to scan license plates, could help solve crimes and find missing persons.

— Frank Landymore, Futurism, 27 Aug. 2026
Before its founding, seven agencies nominally held responsibility for various elements of consumer protection, but none had it as a primary mission.

— Jennifer Pahlka, Foreign Affairs, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of nominally

Adverb

Earlier this month, Milwaukee County Executive David Crowley narrowly won the Democratic nomination after one of the most chaotic and unusual primaries in the state’s history.

— Dan Kaufman, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2026
In 2024, Burke’s squad dragged itself off the mat after an awful (yet at the time, typical) start to the season to go unbeaten in 12 of 13 matches down the stretch and narrowly miss the playoffs.

— Kels Dayton, Hartford Courant, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of narrowly

Adverb

In an economy where wages are anchored to what compute would cost to replicate human work, human labor becomes economically marginal—not worthless, but negligibly small relative to the overall pie.

— Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 4 Apr. 2026
In other words, the chin contributes negligibly to resisting chewing forces.

— Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 24 Jan. 2026

Definition of negligibly

Adverb

Continue to cook, agitating eggs and occasionally shaking pan and running spatula underneath to ensure eggs aren’t sticking, until surface of eggs looks somewhat set but still slightly shiny, about 30 seconds more.

— Rebecca Firkser, Bon Appetit Magazine, 3 Sep. 2026
Caplight’s Avalos added that demand for OpenAI shares has somewhat recovered from earlier-year lows in recent months.

— Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of somewhat

Browse Nearby Words

slighting

slightly

slightness

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Slightly.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slightly. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of slightly

adverb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

matriculate

Popular in Grammar & Usage

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4

Popular

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Games & Quizzes