slim

adjective

ˈslim How to pronounce slim (audio)
Definition of slimnext
1
as in thin
being of less than usual width a slim volume of poetry

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slender
having a noticeably small amount of body fat the pressure on ballet dancers to remain gracefully slim

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in sparse
less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable slim pickings at the garage sale

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in small
small in degree a slim chance is still better than none

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 The thick print issues of the nineties, fat with ads for Patagonia and Land Rover, had become notably slimmer. —Rachel Monroe, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2025 Their slim design is also ideal for fighting off creases, wrinkles and shoulder bumps. —Nora Colomer, FOXNews.com, 18 Apr. 2025 Under the Biden administration, the prospects of the deal receiving approval from the Department of Justice were much slimmer, given the administration’s overall antitrust stance. —Elisabeth Buchwald, CNN Money, 18 Apr. 2025 Here’s where Journeys comes in. Sneakers: Check out Vans’ selection of slim sneakers that will pair effortlessly with your denim shorts and straight-leg jeans. —Jenifer Calle, Glamour, 17 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for slim
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slim
  1. thin
  2. slender
  3. sparse
  4. small
  5. narrow
  6. skinny
  7. scarce
  8. off
Adjective
  • The water pressure then causes the vehicle to rise and slide on a thin layer of water between the tires and the road, making the driver lose control.
    — STAR-TELEGRAM WEATHER BOT, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Ibrahim had black hair and looked thin from malnutrition.
    — Clayton Dalton, New Yorker, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of thin
Adjective
  • The borer is essentially a narrow drill that extracts a slender core from a living tree without killing it.
    — Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 27 Apr. 2025
  • For his slender frame (6-foot-1, 181 pounds), his timed speed is below average and could force teams to look elsewhere.
    — Joe Buscaglia, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2025
Definition of slender
Adjective
  • Prevent seeds from establishing by maintaining a healthy lawn, stop seed germination with pre-emergent herbicides, Maintain a Healthy Lawn Dandelions thrive in thin, sparse lawns and garden beds.
    — Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2025
  • The trend left a lasting impact on Marchand and others in her generation who were left with sparse, barely-there brows.
    — Tereza Shkurtaj, People.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of sparse
Adjective
  • In 2022, a consortium of private retirement-plan providers announced a collaboration to boost the portability of small retirement accounts.
    — Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 20 Apr. 2025
  • Even the smallest black dot of mold can affect your health by causing respiratory illnesses or triggering certain allergic reactions from breathing it in constantly.
    — Ashlyn Needham, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of small
Adjective
  • On Saturday, the narrow field caused both teams to adapt to tighter spaces and quicker play.
    — Felipe Cardenas, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025
  • The plain and active meaning of the word cannot be diluted by its constriction, as the government would have it, to a narrow term of art.
    — TIME Staff, Time, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of narrow
Adjective
  • Here are the shoes to wear with skinny jeans to look chic in Spring 2025.
    — Renata Joffre, Glamour, 19 Apr. 2025
  • Martinis are flowing and skinny French fries are arriving on small plates.
    — Kailyn Brown, Los Angeles Times, 18 Apr. 2025
Definition of skinny
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, which meant snow was scarce.
    — Kori Rumore, Chicago Tribune, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Food was scarce, basic hygiene was a challenge, and tropical bugs feasted on our bodies.
    — Lauren Vuong, Mercury News, 19 Apr. 2025
Definition of scarce
Adjective
  • Except the Giants did it without an off day, on both sides of the country, and against contending teams.
    — Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 28 Apr. 2025
  • That was enough for the Cavaliers to overcome an off day from All-Star guard Donovan Mitchell, who totaled just 13 points on 4-of-14 shooting from the field and 3-of-8 shooting on threes.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 26 Apr. 2025
Definition of off

Browse Nearby Words

slights
slim
slime
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slim. Accessed 2 May. 2025.

Copy Citation

Share

More from Merriam-Webster on slim

Nglish: Translation of slim for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slim

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Words You Always Have to Look Up

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)

Words in Disguise: Do these seem familiar?

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE

More Words with Remarkable Origins

Terroir, Oenophile, & Magnum: Ten Words About Wine

8 Words for Lesser-Known Musical Instruments
See More

Popular

See More

Words You Always Have to Look Up

8 Words with Fascinating Histories

'Za' and 9 Other Words to Help You Win at SCRABBLE
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Word Game Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
artwork of illustrated limes with the text limes and smile with an arrow connecting the two words
Quiz: Spot the Anagram! Scramble these words to find new words with the e...
See All