slightly

slightly — adverb

1. by a small amount that you can notice — for instance, when food tastes a little

1.adverbA2
Definition

by a small amount that you can notice — for instance, when food tastes a little too salty, a colour does not match the sample, or someone responds with just a tiny movement.

Example

The soup was slightly too salty for Aaron's taste.

slightly + adjective (too salty)

Tamás smiled slightly when he heard the good news.

slightly + verb (smiled)

Common collocations
  • slightly different
  • slightly better / worse
  • slightly more / less
  • slightly warmer / cooler
  • slightly change / improve / increase
Synonyms
  • a little

    more informal and common in conversation; 'slightly' sounds more precise

  • somewhat

    slightly more formal; used before adjectives (somewhat different)

  • a bit

    very informal; common in everyday British English speech

  • marginally

    formal and implies a very small amount, often in business or academic contexts

Antonyms
  • very

    to a large degree rather than a small one

  • extremely

    to a much higher degree

Grammar Patterns

slightly + adjective

slightly + verb

slightly + comparative adjective

Usage Note

Commonly modifies adjectives (slightly different, slightly warmer) and verbs that express change or movement (improved slightly, moved slightly, changed slightly). It sounds more precise and restrained than 'a little' in formal writing.

Common Mistakes

The rain fell slightly on the roof.
The rain fell lightly on the roof.
'slightly' is about degree, not physical weight or pressure; use 'lightly' for gentle physical contact.

2. used only in the fixed phrase 'slightly built' to describe a person who is thin

2.adverbB1
Definition

used only in the fixed phrase 'slightly built' to describe a person who is thin and has a small, delicate body frame — for example, a dancer whose body is light and slender, or a person who looks physically fragile even though they may be strong.

Example

Iris was slightly built but strong enough to carry her own luggage up the stairs.

contrast: slightly built but strong

The doctor told Reema that her son's slightly built frame was normal for his age.

collocation: slightly built frame

Common collocations
  • slightly built
  • slightly built frame
  • slightly built person
  • tall and slightly built
  • thin and slightly built
Synonyms
  • slender

    more common and positive; describes an attractively thin shape

  • slim

    everyday word for thin in an attractive way

  • delicate

    emphasises a fragile or fine bone structure

Antonyms
  • heavily built

    describes a large, strong, or stocky body frame

  • stocky

    describes a short, broad, solid body

Grammar Patterns

be + slightly built

slightly built + noun (frame / person / man / woman)

Usage Note

This sense is almost exclusively used in the fixed collocation 'slightly built'. You cannot use 'slightly' alone to mean 'thin' — 'She is very slightly' is incorrect. The phrase 'slightly built' applies to both men and women and describes frame size, not physical strength or health.

Common Mistakes

She is very slightly.
She is very slightly built.
'slightly' alone does not mean 'thin'; it must always be followed by 'built' when describing body type.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adverb/1

All four express 'to a small degree', but they differ in register and usage. 'A little' is the most common in everyday speech and works naturally with verbs (improved a little, changed a little). 'A bit' is even more informal and is very common in British English ('It looks a bit different now'). 'Slightly' sits between casual and formal — it has a precise, restrained feel and is preferred in writing. 'Somewhat' is noticeably more formal and is typical of academic or professional language ('The results were somewhat surprising'). 'Marginally' is the most formal and suggests a very tiny degree, often in business or data contexts ('Sales increased marginally'). Choosing the right one depends on whether you are speaking casually, writing formally, or trying to sound precise.

a littlesomewhat ↗a bitmarginally ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Phrases

  • slightly more than
  • slightly less than
  • slightly better than
  • slightly different from

Etymology

Old NorseMiddle EnglishEnglish

Formed from the adjective 'slight' (meaning 'small in degree' or 'slender') plus the adverb-forming suffix '-ly'. The adjective 'slight' came into English from Old Norse 'sléttr', meaning 'smooth' or 'level'. Over time its meaning shifted from 'smooth' to 'thin, slender' and then to 'small, insignificant'. The adverb 'slightly' appeared in the 1500s, first meaning 'with contempt' (from the sense of 'slight' as 'unimportant'), and later developed today's common meaning of 'to a small degree'.