slight

SaySLYTUK/slaɪt/AUS/slɑɪt/

Adjectiveslighter, slightest

Verbslights, slighting, slighted

Noun pluralslights

19 meanings of slight

Practice

1
adjective
Very small and not important enough to worry about.
Like one drop of water in a big bucket: too small to matter.
There was only a slight chance of rain, so we went to the park.
She made a slight mistake on the test, but she still got an A.
Similarinsignificant, minor, trivial, petty, negligible
Oppositesignificant, major, considerable, substantial
Note
2
adjective
Done quickly and without much care or detail.
She gave the report only a slight glance before the meeting started.
After a slight cleaning, the room still looked dirty.
Similarsuperficial
Oppositethorough, careful, detailed
3
adjective
Soft and weak rather than strong or forceful.
Like a whisper instead of a shout.
A slight breeze moved the curtains.
She gave the door a slight push, and it swung open.
Similartiny, minor, negligible, meager
Oppositestrong, powerful, forceful
4
adjective
Thin and small in body, not heavy or wide.
The slight boy slipped easily through the gap in the fence.
She was slight but surprisingly strong.
Similarslender, slim, lean, svelte, willowy
Oppositestocky, burly, heavy, stout
5
verbtransitive
To treat someone badly by ignoring them on purpose.
Don't slight your grandmother by forgetting her birthday.
He slighted the new worker by never asking for his ideas.
Similardespise, contemn
Oppositerespect, honor
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6
nouncountable
An unkind act of ignoring someone or leaving them out on purpose.
Not getting an invitation to the wedding felt like a slight.
He took her short reply as a slight and stopped writing back.
Similarsnub, neglect
Oppositerespect
Note
7
verbtransitive
To act as if something does not matter at all.
Don't slight the safety rules just because they slow you down.
The coach slighted our worries about the heat.
Similardownplay, dismiss, disregard, ignore, belittle
Oppositeemphasize, stress, acknowledge, heed
8
verbtransitive
To give something less attention or importance than other things.
Schools sometimes slight art classes when money is short.
The new plan slighted the needs of older residents.
Similarbelittle
Oppositevalue, respect, esteem
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9
verbintransitive
To behave carelessly and not do things properly.
Workers who slight on the job put everyone in danger.
He slighted in his chores, and the garden filled with weeds.
Similarslack, skimp
10
adjective
Calm and still, with almost nothing moving on the surface.
Like a mirror lying flat: nothing on it moves.
The lake was slight that morning, without a single ripple.
We waited for slight water before taking the small boat out.
Similarstill, calm, smooth, glassy, placid
Oppositerough, choppy, turbulent
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11
adjectivedated
Rude in a way that shows you think someone does not matter.
His slight manner toward the waiter embarrassed everyone at the table.
Her slight answers made the visitors feel small and unwelcome.
Similarscornful, contemptuous, disdainful, dismissive, disrespectful
Oppositerespectful, courteous, gracious, warm
Note
12
adjectivedialectal
Even, smooth, or flat, like ground with no bumps.
The path over the moor is slight here, so the walking is easy.
They chose a slight field for the fair, with no bumps or holes.
Similarsmooth, level, even, flat, sleek
Oppositerough, uneven
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13
verbtransitive
To throw something in a careless way, without looking or thinking.
He slighted his bag onto the floor and ran upstairs.
Don't slight your coat over the chair. Hang it up.
Similarthrow, hurl, fling, chuck, toss
Note
14
verbtransitive
To destroy parts of a castle or fort so it cannot be defended anymore.
Like knocking down the walls of a sandcastle so no one can hide behind them.
After the war, soldiers slighted the old castle so no army could use it.
The king ordered his men to slight the fort by the river.
Similardemolish, dismantle, raze
Oppositefortify, strengthen
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15
adjectivearchaic
Close by, not far away in place or time.
The well is only a slight way from the house.
Spring is only a slight time away now, and the days will soon grow warm.
Note
16
adjectiveobsolete
Foolish or silly, not thinking in a careful or serious way.
But no beast ever was so slight, For man, as for his god, to fight; They have more wit, alas! and know Themselves and us better than so.
1859, Samuel Butler, HudibrasHere, slight means foolish or silly.
Similarsilly, foolish, dumb, simple, naive
Note
17
adjectiveobsolete
Bad or of poor quality, not made well.
The shoes were slight and fell apart within a month.
He sold slight cloth at the market, and people soon stopped buying from him.
Similarpoor, bad, inferior, flimsy, shoddy
Note
18
verbobsoletetransitive
To make a surface flat, even, or smooth.
The workers slighted the ground before they built the barn.
After your ground is sowne and harrowed, you shall then clotte it, sleight it, and smooth it.
1620, Gervase Markham, Farwell to HvsbandryHere, sleight means to make the ground flat, even, and smooth.
Note
19
nounobsolete
Skill or a clever trick, often used to fool people.
The magician's slight made the coin disappear from his open hand.
For till that stownd could never wight him harme, By subtilty, nor slight, nor might, nor mighty charme.
1596, Edmund Spenser, The Faerie QueeneHere, slight means clever skill or a crafty trick.
Note

Practice

Can you tell the meanings of slight apart? Answer 3 quick questions from this page, or write your own sentence and AI will check it.

Origin

It comes from Old English sliht, meaning 'smooth' or 'level'. It is related to the English word 'slick'.