slender

American  

[slen-der] / ˈslɛn dər /

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

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slender British  

/ 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

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Synonym Usage

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.

Other Word Forms

• slenderness
  noun
• unslender
  adjective
• slenderly
  adverb

Etymology

Origin of slender

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

Explanation

Something slender is slight, or skinny. A young colt is slender compared to the full grown horse it will grow into. Slender can be used in both positive and negative ways. If someone tells you you have a slender figure, you'll probably be happy, unless you're going for muscle-mass. A slender portion of potatoes will not cheer a hungry growing boy. If you don't know much about something, you can say your knowledge of it is slender. And if you become an artist, get used to living on a slender budget. Now that's a nice way to put it.

Example Sentences

But when Ser Duncan the Tall crosses paths with a slender, small boy calling himself Egg, so begins a friendship that will one day change the Seven Kingdoms.

From Salon • Jun. 20, 2026

The horses are characterised by their "large size, long legs, well-developed musculature, slender and elegant head -- set on a long, straight neck -- expressive eyes, high withers and sturdy hooves," he added.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

The following year, Britain and the U.S. agreed to build a military base on Diego Garcia, a slender, open-jawed island, and the two governments began plotting the expulsion of the Chagossians from the entire archipelago.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

It was slender, about 2 metres long, and it had a thin long snout specifically adapted for eating fish.

From BBC • Apr. 22, 2026

“You—you’re—” Ama leans back and squeezes my slender arms.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

Related Words

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