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• slim
  slim

  adjective

  slender, as in girth or form; slight in build or structure.
• Slim
  Slim

  noun

  the E African name for AIDS

slim

American  

[slim] / slɪm /

adjective

• slimmer,
  comparative
• slimmest
  superlative

1. slender, as in girth or form; slight in build or structure.

   Synonyms:

   thin

   Antonyms:

   fat

2. poor or inferior.

   a slim chance; a slim excuse.

3. small or inconsiderable; meager; scanty.

   a slim income.

   Synonyms:

   paltry, trivial, trifling, insignificant

   Antonyms:

   abundant, considerable

4. sized for the thinner than average person.

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verb (used with object)

slimmed, slimming

1. to make slim.

verb (used without object)

slimmed, slimming

1. to become slim.

2. Chiefly British. to try to become more slender, especially by dieting.

noun

1. a garment size meant for a thin person.

verb phrase

1. slim down

   1. to lose weight, especially intentionally.

   2. (of a business) to reduce operating expenses; economize.

slim ¹ British  

/ slɪm /

adjective

1. small in width relative to height or length

2. small in amount or quality

   slim chances of success

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verb

1. to make or become slim, esp by diets and exercise

2. to reduce or decrease or cause to be reduced or decreased

Slim ² British  

/ slɪm /

noun

1. the E African name for AIDS

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Slim ³ British  

/ slɪm /

noun

1. William Joseph , 1st Viscount. 1891–1970, British field marshal, who commanded (1943–45) the 14th Army in the reconquest of Burma (now called Myanmar) from the Japanese; governor general of Australia (1953–60)

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Synonym Usage

See slender.

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• slimmer
  noun
• slimness
  noun
• unslimness
  noun
• unslim
  adjective
• unslimmed
  adjective
• slimly
  adverb
• unslimly
  adverb

Inflected Forms

Adjectives

• slimmer
  comparative
• slimmest
  superlative

Etymology

Origin of slim

1650–60; < Dutch slim sly, (earlier) crooked (cognate with German schlimm bad, (earlier) crooked)

Explanation

Anything slim is thin or narrow. So, your sister may be considered slim, and you could also have "a slim chance" of winning the lottery. Slim people are slender, and slim things are usually delicate, like a slim watch band. You can also use slim to describe a margin or a chance: "There was only a slim likelihood that the home team would win this game." Back in the early 1800s, to slim meant "to do one's work carelessly," and in the seventeenth century, the adjective was also used to mean "sly or crafty."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

slim Slim slimmer slimmest slimmed slimming

He and his wife are hoping to start a family, but the area’s housing options are slim.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 3, 2026

Public opinion polls have shown the measure with slim majority support.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 2, 2026

The chance of getting to zero pollution was "very, very slim", he added.

From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026

Your chances of running into a marketer at a neighborhood bar are slim but never zero.

From Salon ● Jul. 23, 2026

Chances for survival were slim at best if they all stayed together.

From "Shipwreck at the Bottom of the World" by Jennifer Armstrong

"I'm Mr Slim now. I'm delighted to be here and there are fans here from all over the world," Fury said.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

Nara and Lucky Blue Smith, 28, married in 2020 and share four children: Whimsy Lou, eldest daughter Rumble Honey, son Slim Easy, and infant Fawnie Golden.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 18, 2026

The maker of Slim Jim and Healthy Choice has seen its shares slide by 26% over the past 12 months.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026

Conagra is known for grocery-aisle staples like Slim Jim, Reddi-wip, and Marie Callender’s.

From Barron's ● Jun. 28, 2026

Slim said loudly, “One of my lead mules got a bad hoof. Got to get some tar on it.”

From "Of Mice and Men" by John Steinbeck

Responding to the watchdog, Jaded London argued it was "not clear" the model was holding a cigarette because it was slimmer than normal and "did not appear to be lit".

From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026

The results pile pressure on the beleaguered group, which has been suffering from slimmer margins from the sales of electric cars, US tariffs and above all intense Chinese competition.

From Barron's ● Jul. 24, 2026

“It’s becoming a slimmer and slimmer slice of residents” that Reach can serve, she said.

From Salon ● Jul. 4, 2026

She has increased ordering of smaller sizes to accommodate her customers’ slimmer frames.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

The slimmer boy swung down out of sight.

From "Homecoming" by Cynthia Voigt

Overall, reports Roll Call, “in a Senate newly under Republican control and a House held by the slimmest of GOP majorities, lawmakers cast more votes last year than any other since the pandemic.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 18, 2026

With Sri Lanka chasing down the target with ease, the Australians are left clinging to only the slimmest mathematical hope and will watch nervously as Zimbabwe face Ireland on Tuesday.

From BBC ● Feb. 16, 2026

In a semi-final dominated by the return, Gauff edged Paolini by the slimmest of margins.

From Barron's ● Oct. 11, 2025

The next day, Kennedy would take the lead over Nixon and then go on to win the election by one of the slimmest margins in history.

From Salon ● Apr. 11, 2025

Scythe Curie offered Citra the slimmest of grins.

From "Scythe" by Neal Shusterman

Though the third installment of the fest has been cut down from 11 days to six, the amount of talent jammed into that week doesn’t appear to have slimmed down much at all.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 29, 2026

Other consumer-goods groups have also slimmed down or sharpened their focus in recent years.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 20, 2026

Hilton slimmed down its full-year outlook, too, lowering the upper end of its expected range for revenue per available room.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 22, 2025

Former world number one Novak Djokovic, who has slimmed down his schedule in recent years to protect his body, has called on players to be more united, external in forcing change.

From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2025

She’d slimmed down and shot up and started worrying about clothes.

From "Found" by Margaret Peterson Haddix

As part of the new changes, McKinsey is also slimming down its board, known internally as its shareholders council.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

The firm is slimming its shareholders council to 12 senior partners and its global managing partner, down from 30 members.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 1, 2026

Nestlé is trying to end the slump by winning back market share and slimming down its sprawling business.

From Barron's ● Jun. 10, 2026

It is thought to be the result of rapid slimming, rather than the medication itself.

From BBC ● Jun. 8, 2026

The column of light in front of us is closing, slimming into a pinpoint.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer