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

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

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

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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 This DeSantis scheme gave his party four more Florida seats in Congress, which is their present slim majority, including Central Florida’s District 7 (then held by moderate Democrat Stephanie Murphy, but eventually claimed by Cory Mills). —Orlando Sentinel, The Orlando Sentinel, 25 July 2025 Without that signature southeast flow that drives moisture into central Arizona, rain chances remain slim. —Hayleigh Evans, AZCentral.com, 25 July 2025 Republicans hold the House by a slim seven-vote margin and history says parties of the sitting president usually lose more seats than that in the midterms after winning an election. —Dave Goldiner, New York Daily News, 24 July 2025 This Nebula Capsule weighs under two pounds and features a slim pole-like design that is easy to pack and carry. —Taylor Fox, Travel + Leisure, 24 July 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
  • Light cushioning maximizes comfort and support in the arch of your foot, while keeping its thin profile.
    — Lauren Breedlove, Travel + Leisure, 24 July 2025
  • Cover it with a thin layer of topsoil or compost to cover the seeds.
    — Cody Godwin, USA Today, 24 July 2025
Definition of thin
Adjective
  • What’s Next in The Night Sky Just two mornings later, on July 23, a very slender waning crescent moon will rise near Jupiter in deep twilight, low in the east-northeast just before sunrise.
    — Jamie Carter, Forbes.com, 20 July 2025
  • There's just one real road that runs up and down this slender stretch of coast due to Tulum's quick growth, making navigating a breeze (but traffic is nothing less than hectic for much of the day).
    — Carley Rojas Avila, Travel + Leisure, 19 July 2025
Definition of slender
Adjective
  • In her prominent book Atlas of AI, renowned Microsoft researcher and academic Kate Crawford documents the vast extractive needs of AI but notes that detailed analysis of materials that will be needed has been sparse.
    — Saleem H. Ali, Forbes.com, 21 July 2025
  • Regulations in Hong Kong around the technology are currently sparse.
    — Mithil Aggarwal, NBC news, 17 July 2025
Definition of sparse
Adjective
  • In a small bowl, combine the softened butter and garlic and mix well.
    — Robin Miller, AZCentral.com, 25 July 2025
  • Beyond providing an invitation for music-curious Austinites to come explore the clubs, the festival offers a lifeline to musicians and venues during the slow summer season, when small clubs that support emerging artists face some of their greatest challenges.
    — Mars Salazar, Austin American Statesman, 25 July 2025
Definition of small
Adjective
  • Greene’s characterization of a ‘narrow audience’ echoes this.
    — Matthew Carey Salyer, Forbes.com, 24 July 2025
  • Mona Jones said that was no cakewalk: The bridge over the Salt River didn't exist in the late 1950s and early 1960s, and State Route 87, the Beeline Highway, was just a narrow two-lane road.
    — Debra Utacia Krol, AZCentral.com, 24 July 2025
Definition of narrow
Adjective
  • Many have been quick to draw a connective throughline between the revival of trends like skinny jeans and bandage dress with the increasing accessibility of Ozempic and other GLP-1 injectables.
    — Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 24 July 2025
  • Nothing fires up Google’s algorithm quite like talk of the return of skinny jeans, but for fall/winter 2025 designers are conspiring to relaunch another dormant Noughties trend: slouchy boho boots that puddle around the ankles and fold over the calves.
    — Emma Spedding, Vogue, 24 July 2025
Definition of skinny
Adjective
  • While specific details of his early childhood are scarce, Weller came of age during a time when distilling was a booming regional industry, often run by farmers and small-business operators who combined their agricultural production with whiskey making.
    — Joseph V Micallef, Forbes.com, 26 July 2025
  • Details after paramedics whisked Valdes away are scarce, her friend says, as no one was allowed to ride with her to Jackson Memorial Hospital’s Ryder Trauma Center, where she was later pronounced dead.
    — Isabel Rivera, Miami Herald, 24 July 2025
Definition of scarce
Adjective
  • Pete Crow-Armstrong, Justin Turner and more were in attendance, taking advantage of the Cubs having an off day after several of them put in a shift signing autographs at The National earlier in the day.
    — The Athletic Collectibles Staff, New York Times, 1 Aug. 2025
  • The attacker, 27-year-old Shane Devon Tamura, entered the office tower with an assault rifle and body armor, fatally shooting a security guard, a Blackstone executive, a Rudin Management associate, and an off-duty NYPD officer before taking his own life.
    — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 31 July 2025
Definition of off

Browse Nearby Words

slights
slim
slime
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Cite this Entry

“Slim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slim. Accessed 6 Aug. 2025.

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More from Merriam-Webster on slim

Nglish: Translation of slim for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about slim

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