slender

[slen-der]

adjective

slenderer, slenderest 

1. having a circumference that is small in proportion to the height or length.

   a slender post.

2. thin or slight; light and graceful.

   slender youths.

   Antonyms: stocky, fat

3. small in size, amount, extent, etc.; meager.

   a slender income.

4. having little value, force, or justification.

   slender prospects.

   Synonyms: trifling, trivial

5. thin or weak, as sound.

   Synonyms: flimsy, delicate, fine, feeble, fragile

slender

/ ˈslɛndə /

adjective

1. of small width relative to length or height

2. (esp of a person's figure) slim and well-formed

3. small or inadequate in amount, size, etc

   slender resources

4. (of hopes, etc) having little foundation; feeble

5. very small

   a slender margin

6. (of a sound) lacking volume

7. phonetics (now only in Irish phonology) relating to or denoting a close front vowel, such as i or e

Other Word Forms

• slenderness noun
• slenderly adverb
• unslender adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of slender¹

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English slendre, sclendre; origin unknown

Word History and Origins

Origin of slender¹

C14 slendre, of unknown origin

Synonym Study

Slender, slight, slim imply a tendency toward thinness. As applied to the human body, slender implies a generally attractive and pleasing thinness: slender hands. Slight often adds the idea of frailness to that of thinness: a slight, almost fragile, figure. Slim implies a lithe or delicate thinness: a slim and athletic figure.

Example Sentences

The futility and frustration of dieting has in recent years ignited a resistance movement of sorts, encouraging women, especially, to reject social pressures to maintain a slender form.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Spinner Simon Harmer took four wickets as South Africa bowled out India for 189 after the hosts managed a slender lead of 30 on day two of the first Test on Saturday.

Read more on Barron's

While there were still slender, wolf-like dogs, there were also many with shorter snouts and wider, stockier heads.

Read more on BBC

But he kept coming back to a classic: a slender, bookish typeface famously used in Apple’s “Think Different” campaign.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

Once it closed in, it used slender jaws filled with sharp, recurved teeth to secure its target and prevent escape.

Read more on Science Daily

Related Words

• delicate 
• fragile 
• frail 
• lanky 
• lithe 
• meager 
• narrow 
• skinny 
• slight 
• slim 
• svelte 
• wiry 
• wispy