slight

[ slahyt ]
See synonyms for slight on Thesaurus.com
adjective,slight·er, slight·est.
  1. small in amount, degree, etc.: a slight increase;a slight odor.

  2. of little importance, influence, etc.; trivial: a slight cut.

  1. slender or slim; not heavily built.

  2. frail; flimsy; delicate: a slight fabric.

  3. of little substance or strength.

verb (used with object)
  1. to treat as of little importance.

  2. to treat (someone) with indifference; ignore, especially pointedly or contemptuously; snub: to be slighted by society.

  1. to do negligently; scamp: to slight one's studies.

noun
  1. an act or instance of slighting or being slighted: The critics’ slights led her to change direction in her work.

  2. a pointed and contemptuous discourtesy; affront: She considered not being invited an unforgivable slight.

Origin of slight

1
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English (adjective) “smooth, sleek, slender”; compare Old English -sliht- in eorth-slihtes “even with ground”; cognate with German schlicht, Old Norse slēttr, Gothic slaihts “smooth”

synonym study For slight

3. See slender. 6. Slight, disregard, neglect, overlook mean to pay no attention or too little attention to someone or something. To slight is to give only superficial attention to something important: to slight one's work. To disregard is to pay no attention to a person or thing: to disregard the rules; in some circumstances, to disregard may be admirable: to disregard a handicap. To neglect is to shirk paying sufficient attention to a person or thing: to neglect one's correspondence. To overlook is to fail to see someone or something (possibly because of carelessness): to overlook a bill that is due. 10. See insult.

Other words for slight

Opposites for slight

Other words from slight

  • slight·er, noun
  • slight·ly, adverb
  • slight·ness, noun
  • o·ver·slight, adjective

Words Nearby slight

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use slight in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for slight

slight

/ (slaɪt) /


adjective
  1. small in quantity or extent

  2. of small importance; trifling

  1. slim and delicate

  2. lacking in strength or substance

  3. Southwest English dialect ill

verb(tr)
  1. to show indifference or disregard for (someone); snub

  2. to treat as unimportant or trifling

  1. US to devote inadequate attention to (work, duties, etc)

noun
  1. an act or omission indicating supercilious neglect or indifference

Origin of slight

1
C13: from Old Norse slēttr smooth; related to Old High German slehtr, Gothic slaihts, Middle Dutch slecht simple

Derived forms of slight

  • slightness, noun

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with slight

slight

see in the least (slightest).

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.