SLIM Synonyms: 202 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

slim

adjective

ˈslim

Definition of slim

as in thin

being of less than usual width a slim volume of poetry

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

as in sparse

less plentiful than what is normal, necessary, or desirable slim pickings at the garage sale

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 Associated Press Google on Wednesday unveiled its latest lineup of Pixel phones, with slimmer cameras that include more a powerful zoom and artificial intelligence features designed to help users accomplish things with fewer taps and swipes. — ABC News, 12 Aug. 2026 When packing up, the legs collapse parallel to the main body, so the entire unit forms a slim profile that slides into the side pocket or main compartment of a standard backpack. — New Atlas, 12 Aug. 2026 That could jeopardize the slim House majority in what is set to be a difficult midterm election for Republicans. — Gavin Jackson, NPR, 11 Aug. 2026 The other potential development area has a slimmer time frame to spin to life before conditions get more hostile around midweek. — Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slim

Recent Examples of Synonyms for slim

Adjective

Handling compliments about weight loss The pressure to be thinner is reinforced when someone loses weight, whether from a GLP-1 or any other reason.

— CNN Money, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
The depth there was already thin even before the Dexter Lawrence trade or Roy Robertson-Harris injury.

— Charlotte Carroll, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of thin

Adjective

Researchers also examined measurement techniques for slender flying-wing shapes.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2026
Guests at Brookfield Zoo can identify her in Dolphin Bay by her distinctive features, including faint white lines along the sides of her head and chest, pink coloration on the underside of her slender rostrum, and gray ventral side.

— Adam Harrington, CBS News, 13 Aug. 2026

Definition of slender

Adjective

The Kennedy Center has grown increasingly marooned from its many patrons and performing arts peers in recent months, and today has a starkly sparse programming schedule.

— Tessa Solomon, ARTnews.com, 13 Aug. 2026
Inside Colombia, tremors from the quake’s epicenter reached as far as the remote region of Chocó on Monday, where sparse inroads could potentially delay efforts to reach more than half a million residents, according to Grece.

— Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 11 Aug. 2026

Definition of sparse

Adjective

The merch was originally made for OpenAI employees to purchase on an internal site, but the team decided to make a small capsule collection available to the public.

— T.M. Brown, CNN Money, 17 Aug. 2026
Rival online retailers Ozon and Yandex Market use smaller depots spread over a wider network.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026

Definition of small

Adjective

Enclosed by a network of 13th-century walls, the narrow streets of old York host myriad awe-inspiring relics from its pre-industrial past, perhaps the most famous being York Minster, one of the most beautiful Gothic cathedrals anywhere.

— Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026
The noun developed later for something removed or separated—hence a narrow strip of land, cloth, or material.

— Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of narrow

Adjective

Police described the intruder as a 6-foot-tall skinny Black man between 30 and 40 years old, wearing a black hooded sweatshirt.

— Logan Hall, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026
Their Dom Sandals feature skinny, understated straps, including one around the ankle/back of the foot for security.

— Anna Traver, InStyle, 16 Aug. 2026

Definition of skinny

Adjective

There's scarce public data, but some estimates indicate that up to 20% of the company's total warehouse space has been destroyed, with assessments of losses running as high as $6 billion.

— ABC News, ABC News, 17 Aug. 2026
The war in the Middle East has made cargoes more scarce and, in turn, more expensive, raising the prospects of another energy crunch.

— Hanna Ziady, CNN Money, 14 Aug. 2026

Definition of scarce

Adjective

The Bears will practice Sunday afternoon, which is expected to be mostly the first-team players who did not play in the game, before an off day Monday.

— Kevin Fishbain, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Mehidy then produced a superb delivery that straightened past the bat of Beau Webster (5) and clipped the top of off stump to have Australia at 6-193, still trailing by 35 runs and with the tail exposed.

— ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026

Definition of off

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“Slim.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/slim. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of slim

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