slight
slight — adjective
1. not large in size, amount, or degree; used when something is smaller or less tha
not large in size, amount, or degree; used when something is smaller or less than is typical or expected.
There was a slight change in temperature after the sun went down.
slight change — collocation for small variations in measurable things
Eleni felt a slight pain in her knee after running ten kilometres.
The manager noticed a slight improvement in sales this month.
slight improvement — for small positive changes
A slight breeze moved the curtains by the open window.
Ravindra's speech had a slight accent from his years in Brazil.
a slight + noun — most common pattern for this sense
- slight change
- slight difference
- slight increase
- slight improvement
- slight pain
- slight breeze
- significant
implies meaningful size or degree
- considerable
suggests a large amount, the opposite of slight
Grammar Patterns
a slight + noun
noun phrase + be + slight
Usage Note
Common with nouns describing change, difference, or physical sensations such as pain or breeze.
Common Mistakes
2. used with negative words such as 'not' or 'never' to emphasize that something do
used with negative words such as 'not' or 'never' to emphasize that something does not exist or happen, even in the smallest possible way.
I do not have the slightest idea where Ari went after work.
not the slightest idea — fixed expression for complete lack of knowledge
There was not the slightest chance of rain, so Beatriz left her umbrella at home.
Noa showed not the slightest interest in the football match.
not the slightest interest — common with abstract nouns like interest, doubt, hope
The woman at the counter did not pay the slightest attention to my question.
- the slightest idea
- the slightest doubt
- the slightest interest
- the slightest attention
- any
less emphatic; 'not any idea' is neutral, 'not the slightest idea' is stronger
Grammar Patterns
not the slightest + noun
without the slightest + noun
never the slightest + noun
Usage Note
Only appears in negative sentences or questions. The noun after 'the slightest' is almost always an abstract, uncountable concept such as 'idea', 'doubt', 'interest', or 'attention'. Cannot be used with countable physical objects.
Common Mistakes
3. having a body that is thin and looks light or fragile, often in a way that seems
having a body that is thin and looks light or fragile, often in a way that seems graceful.
Aunt Beatriz was a slight woman with delicate hands and short grey hair.
slight woman — describes natural build, not weight loss
The old photograph showed a slight young man standing beside a tall oak tree.
Despite her slight build, Amani could lift heavy boxes without help.
slight build — standard collocation for body type
His slight frame made him look younger than his actual age.
- slight build
- slight figure
- slight frame
- slight woman
- slight man
Grammar Patterns
slight + noun (build, figure, frame, woman, man)
noun + be + slight
Usage Note
Most often describes a person's natural body structure, not the result of dieting or illness. Carries a mildly positive or neutral tone, suggesting delicacy rather than weakness.
Common Mistakes
4. not important or serious enough to cause worry or require much attention.
not important or serious enough to cause worry or require much attention.
The newspaper article treated the disagreement as a slight matter not worth discussing.
slight matter — downplaying the importance of a topic
Losing a single game was a slight disappointment, not a real disaster.
Dr. Chen said the injury was slight and would heal within a week.
What started as a slight headache became much worse by the evening.
slight headache — common for mild physical ailments
- slight matter
- slight injury
- slight problem
- slight headache
- slight inconvenience
- trivial
stronger dismissal — 'trivial' suggests something is not worth anyone's time
- minor
overlaps considerably; 'minor' more common for injuries and problems
- insignificant
formal and more dismissive; 'insignificant detail' vs 'slight inconvenience'
- serious
the direct opposite in degree of importance
- significant
implies the matter matters
Grammar Patterns
a slight + noun (problem, injury, matter, headache)
noun + be + slight
Usage Note
Frequently used to reduce the perceived importance of something, either genuinely or to reassure someone. The slight thing can be a problem, injury, difference of opinion, or detail.
not in the slightest
idiomUsed to say that something is not true or does not happen at all.
Maya was not in the slightest worried about the test.
Is he upset? No, not in the slightest.
slight — verb
1. to treat someone as unimportant by not paying attention to them or not showing t
to treat someone as unimportant by not paying attention to them or not showing them proper respect.
Emily felt slighted when her colleague did not introduce her to the visitors.
feel slighted — most common passive pattern
The senior manager slighted the junior staff by not inviting them to the planning meeting.
Mert did not mean to slight anyone — he simply forgot to send the party invitations.
Lan's suggestion was ignored, and she felt deeply slighted by the whole team.
deeply slighted — adverb intensifier common with passive
- feel slighted
- slight someone
- deliberately slight
- unintentionally slight
Grammar Patterns
slight + person
be slighted (by + person)
feel slighted
Usage Note
The focus is always on the omission of expected attention or respect. The slight can be unintentional (as in forgetting to include someone) or deliberate. The passive form 'felt slighted' is extremely common in everyday language.
Common Mistakes
slight — noun
1. an action or remark that shows you do not consider someone important enough to n
an action or remark that shows you do not consider someone important enough to notice or respect.
Not being invited to the wedding was a deliberate slight from the host family.
deliberate slight — intentional act of disrespect
Ezra took the comment as a personal slight and walked out of the room.
take something as a slight — common verb + noun pattern
The lack of acknowledgment felt like a slight to everyone on the project.
Adisa apologised for the perceived slight, explaining he had been too busy to reply.
perceived slight — suggests the insult may not have been intended
- deliberate slight
- perceived slight
- personal slight
- take something as a slight
- compliment
an expression of praise or respect
Grammar Patterns
a + adjective + slight
take something as a slight
perceived / deliberate / personal slight
Usage Note
Often appears after the verb 'take' ('she took it as a slight') or with adjectives that specify intent ('deliberate', 'perceived', 'unintentional'). Unlike 'insult', a slight is about neglect rather than direct verbal attack.
Common Mistakes
Word family
- slightlyadverbB1
- slightnessnounC1
- slightingadjectiveC1
Synonym discussion
Sense: adjective/1
All four words describe something of low degree or size, but they differ in scope and connotation. 'Small' is the most general — it covers physical dimensions ('a small house'), quantity ('a small fee'), and abstract degree ('a small problem'). 'Slight' is more specific to degree rather than physical size; you would say 'a slight increase' but not 'a slight house'. 'Minor' emphasizes unimportance relative to a larger whole ('a minor role'), whereas 'slight' focuses on measurable quantity. 'Tiny' is more emphatic and often more concrete ('a tiny scratch') or affectionate ('a tiny kitten'). For abstract degree, choose 'slight' for subtle differences, 'small' for neutral size, 'minor' for low importance, and 'tiny' for vivid emphasis. For example: 'There was a slight delay of two minutes' focuses on the degree; 'It was a minor delay' downplays its significance.
Common collocations
Adverbs
Etymology
From Old English 'sliht' meaning 'smooth, even', related to Old Norse 'sléttr' (smooth). The meaning shifted from physical smoothness to 'small in amount' in Middle English, then to 'slender' in the 16th century. The verb sense 'treat as unimportant' developed in the 17th century from the idea of making something seem smooth or slight — that is, diminishing its importance.