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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

Examples 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 Awards-wise, however, that intellectual bent makes for slim margins. Nate Jones, Vulture, 14 Dec. 2024 This potential trade could be the shake-up the Lakers need to maximize their slim championship window while LeBron James and Anthony Davis are still leading the charge. Stephan Pechdimaldji, Newsweek, 14 Dec. 2024 Both should afford you better ride quality, and improved handling when paired with a slim 19-inch front wheel. New Atlas, 13 Dec. 2024 But although there may be a few ledges or flat roofs, the chances of finding one exactly where it is needed are slim. David Hambling, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for slim 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for slim
Adjective
  • But at the heart, the Whiteout V2 is still a player’s stick, with a 98-square-inch head and thinner beam for players with faster swing speeds.
    Tim Newcomb, Forbes, 1 Jan. 2025
  • Notes: Longer, thinner potatoes will fill the dish better than shorter, rounder potatoes.
    Kelly Brant, arkansasonline.com, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Females tend to gain weight until about age 65.7 As a result, older adults may become more slender.
    Mark Gurarie, Health, 14 Dec. 2024
  • Eby’s New Democratic Party won a slender majority in the October election, extending his tenure as premier.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 13 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Data on past genetic, neurological and physical diversity is usually more difficult to collect given the sparse nature of the fossil and archaeological record.
    Ryan McRae, Smithsonian Magazine, 31 Dec. 2024
  • That was a theme in the moribund postgame clubhouse, where those brilliant blue lights had been turned off, leaving it looking sad and sparse.
    Mark Lazerus, The Athletic, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • The evidence for using probiotics in IBS is lacking because study results are conflicting, and the number of study participants is small.
    Amber J. Tresca, Verywell Health, 1 Jan. 2025
  • In spreading its funding across multiple institutions, PST allows those that are much smaller in scale and capacity than MoCA to also participate in these vital kinds of research, enabling curators to encounter the region’s artists and artworks firsthand.
    Bryan Barcena, Artforum, 1 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The 119th Congress will be sworn in on Friday, giving Republicans narrow majorities in the House and Senate.
    Ahtra Elnashar, Baltimore Sun, 31 Dec. 2024
  • Flowing down the steep slopes of the Black Mountains near the Blue Ridge Parkway, the South Toe River cuts through narrow valleys and snakes past homes, farms and campgrounds for more than 30 miles in Yancey County before emptying into its counterpart, the North Toe River, near Kona.
    USA TODAY Graphics team, USA TODAY, 31 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Meme to Bestsellers: How Barrel Jeans Became Denim’s Biggest Trend Slim, straight, skinny, bootcut, flare, boyfriend and wide leg have all earned their place on the menu and have faced little to no competition from new fits.
    Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 27 Dec. 2024
  • The new rules implemented at the beginning of 2024 were less impactful to the everyday/non-tournament player, but did include a couple of provisional items related to rally scoring and skinny singles, methods of playing that were officially recognized for the first time.
    Todd Boss, Forbes, 26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • British and American soldiers plundered that area of New Jersey so heavily that all provisions became scarce.
    John Laycock, Baltimore Sun, 27 Dec. 2024
  • There’s a vein of sadness running through it, as talented women never achieve stardom and changes in taste and production have made even session work more scarce.
    Meredith Blake, Los Angeles Times, 26 Dec. 2024
Adjective
  • Philadelphia next plays Monday against the Hornets before a stretch of off days leading into another matchup with the Hornets in Charlotte next Friday.
    David Aldridge, The Athletic, 14 Dec. 2024
  • Jenna Bush Hager often shares stories and photos of her husband and children, sharing insight into their off camera lives.
    Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Southern Living, 3 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near slim

Cite this Entry

“Slim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slim. Accessed 5 Jan. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on slim

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