adj

slender

SLEHN-duh

adj

Thin and gracefully built.

"She had a slender frame and moved with obvious grace."

Small in amount or scarcely sufficient.

"They won the election by a slender margin."

"There is only slender evidence to support the claim."

How to Use Slender

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishThin in a pleasing or graceful way, or (of amounts) small and barely enough.

Common mistake

Applied to people, "slender" is a more flattering word than "skinny" — it implies gracefulness rather than just thinness.

Common pairings

slender build slender margin slender chance

Word Forms

slenderer comparative, more slender comparative, slendered past tense, Slenders plural, slenders singular, slenderest superlative, most slender superlative

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Can you complete this real example?

She had a _____ frame and moved with obvious grace.

Etymology

From Old French esclendre ("thin, slender"), traced back to a Germanic root meaning "sliding, slippery" — the same idea behind "slide" and "slither."

Synonyms

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svelte willowy scarce sparse gaunt gracile lank lean leansome lithesome lissome rangy

Antonyms

broad heavy large obese overweight strapping

Related Words

abundant thin small woman overweight lean light wide

Rhymes for slender

ender gender fender tender bender render lender sender blender spender lavender defender

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