slender

adjective

slen·​der ˈslen-dər How to pronounce slender (audio)
Synonyms of slender
1
a
: spare in frame or flesh
especially : gracefully slight
b
: small or narrow in circumference or width in proportion to length or height
2
: limited or inadequate in amount or scope : meager
people of slender means
slenderly adverb
slenderness noun

Synonyms of slender

Relevance
See All Synonyms & Antonyms in Thesaurus
Choose the Right Synonym for slender

thin, slender, slim, slight, tenuous mean not thick, broad, abundant, or dense.

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

slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion.

the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness.

a slim volume of poetry
a slim chance

slight implies smallness as well as thinness.

a slight build

tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness.

a tenuous thread

Examples of slender in a Sentence

She has a slender figure. a flower with a slender stem an animal with a long, slender snout
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Having grossed a gargantuan $522 million worldwide (on a slender sub-$1 million production budget), Obsession now stands as this year’s highest profile showcase for cinematic noggin smashing. — Chris Lee, Vulture, 30 Oct. 2026 The cat, which measures just short of 64 feet, can cover those long distances thanks to her two slender hulls, twin engines, and two fuel tanks with a capacity of 1,585 gallons. — Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2026 The shoes were a peep-toe mule silhouette with a wide vamp and a slender cutout at the front. — Karla Rodriguez, Footwear News, 27 Oct. 2026 The slender metal frame swoops into a graceful curve, with a petite tray branching off to one side—a perfect perch for your favorite candle or a warm drink. — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 26 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for slender

Word History

Etymology

Middle English sclendre, slendre, from Anglo-French esclendre

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of slender was in the 14th century

Rhymes for slender

See All Rhymes for slender

Browse Nearby Words

slendang
slender
slender aster
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Slender.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slender. Accessed 1 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation

Kids Definition

slender

adjective
slen·​der ˈslen-dər How to pronounce slender (audio)
1
: thin entry 1 sense 1, slim
2
: limited or not enough in amount : meager
a slender income
slenderly adverb
slenderness noun
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of Pyrrhic

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Pwn, Skibidi, Girlboss and Other Words Added to the 2026 Scrabble Dictionary

The Words of the Week - Oct. 30

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
couple-laugh-cafe
Quiz: Foreign Phrases You Should Know Check out your bona fides and avoid any faux pas.
See All