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Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective slender contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of slender are slight, slim, tenuous, and thin. While all these words mean "not thick, broad, abundant, or dense," slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion.

the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

When is slight a more appropriate choice than slender?

The words slight and slender are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, slight implies smallness as well as thinness.

a slight build

When would slim be a good substitute for slender?

The words slim and slender can be used in similar contexts, but slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness.

a slim volume of poetry
a slim chance

In what contexts can tenuous take the place of slender?

Although the words tenuous and slender have much in common, tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness.

a tenuous thread

When might thin be a better fit than slender?

While the synonyms thin and slender are close in meaning, 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 slender Thought for years to be a dead trend, the slender pants are having a major revival this spring and summer. Lina-Marie Baatz, Glamour, 12 Feb. 2025 Every three months, Ito, a tall and slender 29-year-old Ngäbe man with HIV embarks on a five-hour trek to the town of Pueblo Nuevo to pick up his antiretroviral medication. Adam Williams, NPR, 11 Jan. 2025 Gi-hun is initially searching for The Recruiter, played by Gong Yoo, a slender figure in a sharp suit that lured people into the game by playing ddakji in the subway. Peter White, Deadline, 26 Dec. 2024 Native to Central and South America, money trees are popular houseplants with glossy green leaves and slender trunks, which are often braided for aesthetics. Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slender
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slender
Adjective
  • Crowds are also thin in the fall, and the mountain foliage views are breathtaking.
    Trudy Haywood Saunders, Travel + Leisure, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Chinese smartphone company Honor has released devices that fold up to be nearly as thin as an iPhone.
    Arjun Kharpal, CNBC, 2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Related Articles The courtyard outside the Polo Lounge was lit with heat lamps and scattered with waiters bearing trays of skinny margaritas, as well as red and white wine.
    Leigh Nordstrom, WWD, 2 Mar. 2025
  • These Levi’s jeans have an ultra-high waistline and strike the ideal balance between figure-hugging skinny jeans and baggy silhouettes.
    Emily Weaver, People.com, 1 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Research on caterpillar venoms is still sparse enough that no new drugs have resulted yet, but venoms of other organisms have yielded some important therapies.
    Bob Holmes, JSTOR Daily, 27 Feb. 2025
  • His words, though often sparse and cryptic, usually mattered more than those of his counterparts, fueling a political mystique of infallibility.
    Megan Crepeau, Chicago Tribune, 16 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • Others may include family offices that offer a narrower range of services.
    Francois Botha, Forbes, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Thirty narrow stairs lead to City Ballet’s bright, top floor rehearsal studio, with double ballet barres lining three walls, a floor-to-ceiling mirror, and an open ceiling with a treacherously low center beam that high jumping dancers have learned to avoid.
    Marcia Luttrell, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • Lift your hips off the ground and place a block underneath your sacrum, the widest, boniest part of your pelvis.
    Cory Martin, Verywell Health, 16 Oct. 2024
  • Differences in Adult Bones That being said, some adults are bonier than others.
    Sam Walters, Discover Magazine, 3 Nov. 2023
Adjective
  • The area normally can expect 38.4 inches, according to the National Weather Service. Chicago was warmer than average during the 2023-24 season due to a La Niña climate system, which meant snow was scarce.
    Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Over the last decade, counties where large majorities of residents drink fluoridated water have consistently posted low rates of emergency room visits for dental conditions, especially in comparison to counties where fluoridated water is relatively scarce.
    Cindy Krischer Goodman, Orlando Sentinel, 3 Mar. 2025
Adjective
  • This measured approach mirrors the principles of lean philanthropy and agile business strategy, where organizations test, iterate, and adapt before expanding.
    Jeetendr Sehdev, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2025
  • The district has a five-point lean to Republicans but incumbent Rep. Scott Perry won by just 5,100 votes.
    Philip Elliott, TIME, 25 Feb. 2025
Adjective
  • With Republicans holding slim majorities in the House and Senate, Trump framed the speech as an opportunity to rally his party behind his policies, even as tensions simmered within GOP ranks over recent moves on trade and foreign aid.
    Nik Popli, TIME, 5 Mar. 2025
  • The indices are etched directly into the external crystal to maintain the slim profile.
    Bhanu Chopra, Forbes, 5 Mar. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Slender.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slender. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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