slim

slim — adjective

1. having a body shape that is thin in an attractive and healthy way, without looki

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

having a body shape that is thin in an attractive and healthy way, without looking too skinny or weak.

Example

Eri has kept her slim figure by walking to work every day.

collocation: slim figure

The blue dress made Nadia look even slimmer than she normally did.

comparative: look + slimmer

Common collocations
  • slim figure
  • slim waist
  • slim hips
  • slim body
  • slim build
  • slim-fit clothes
Synonyms
  • slender

    more graceful and elegant in tone; often used for body parts like neck or fingers

  • lean

    suggests a healthy, muscular thinness with little body fat

  • svelte

    formal or literary; implies stylishly slim and elegant

Antonyms
  • overweight

    more body weight than is considered healthy for a given height

  • plump

    pleasantly round or full; softer opposite than 'overweight'

Grammar Patterns

slim + noun

be + slim

get/grow/become + slimmer

Common Mistakes

❗ 'She is very slim and tall.' ✅ 'She is slim and tall.' — 'slim' already describes a positive thinness; adding 'very' can sound unnatural and may imply too thin.

2. very small in size, degree, or likelihood, especially when talking about chances

2.adjectiveB2
Definition

very small in size, degree, or likelihood, especially when talking about chances, amounts, or differences.

Example

There is a slim chance of rain this weekend, so let's plan the picnic.

collocation: slim chance

The company survived the year on a very slim budget after the market crashed.

collocation: slim budget

Common collocations
  • slim chance
  • slim margin
  • slim hope
  • slim possibility
  • slim profit
  • slim budget
  • slim lead
Synonyms
  • slight

    interchangeable for chances and differences; slightly more formal

  • narrow

    specifically used for margins of victory, defeat, or difference

  • small

    neutral and more general; less emphatic than 'slim'

Antonyms
  • large

    great in size, amount, or degree

  • significant

    large enough to be noticed or have an effect

  • generous

    larger or more plentiful than usual; used for budgets or portions

Grammar Patterns

slim + noun

be + slim

there is a slim chance that...

Common Mistakes

❗ 'The chance is slim to success.' ✅ 'The chance of success is slim.' — 'slim' is followed by 'of', not 'to', when describing a possibility.

slim — verb

slim — noun

Word family

  • slimly
    adverbC1
  • slimness
    nounC1
  • slimmer
    nounB2
  • slimming
    adjectiveB2

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe a body with relatively little fat, but they differ in connotation and usage. 'Slim' is the most positive and commonly used term for an attractively thin body shape; it implies health and fitness without being extreme. 'Slender' adds a sense of elegance and grace — it is often used for body parts ('slender fingers', 'slender neck') rather than the whole body. 'Lean' emphasises muscularity and low body fat, carrying an active, athletic feel; it suits descriptions of runners or athletes. 'Thin' is the most neutral and can even be negative when it implies skinniness or undernourishment ('too thin', 'painfully thin'). For a compliment, use 'slim' or 'slender'; for an athletic physique, use 'lean'; for a factual observation without evaluation, use 'thin'.

slimslenderleanthin

Common collocations

Nouns

  • slim waist
  • slim margin
  • slim chance
  • slim hope
  • slim budget
  • slim figure
  • slim profit

Adverbs

  • slim down (gradually)
  • slim down (noticeably)

Phrases

  • slim to none
  • slim down the workforce

Prepositions

  • slim (of)
  • slim down by

Etymology

DutchEnglish

The word 'slim' entered English in the 1600s from Dutch 'slim', which originally meant 'bad, sly, or crooked'. At that time, calling someone 'slim' was an insult about their character. Over time, the meaning shifted in English: by the 1700s, 'slim' began describing objects that were thin or narrow, and by the 1800s, it was applied to people as a compliment for an attractively thin build. The verb sense 'to become thinner' developed naturally from the adjective in the 1900s, and the East African noun sense for AIDS emerged later as a regional reference to the weight loss associated with the illness.