slight

Q: Is it 'slight' or 'sleight' of hand?

Slight is a homophone of sleight , and feels like it makes sense in this idiom, but sleight of hand is the correct form when referring to a cleverly executed trick. Sleight means "deceitful craftiness" or "stratagem," and slight means "having a slim or delicate build"; a slim person is sometimes described as being "slight of build."

Q: What is the difference between 'sleight' and 'slight'?

Slight is the far more common word. In modern use it can be a verb meaning "to offend or insult someone" (as in "slighted by a rude colleague"), or a noun closely related to that verb ("the colleague's remark could only be seen as a slight"), or it can be an adjective describing people and things that are slim, frail, small, or trivial ("a slight figure," "a slight chance," "a slight movie"). Sleight is a noun that can refer either to a deceitful kind of craftiness, or to skill and dexterity. It is typically found in the phrase "sleight of hand," or variations on that phrase (as in "sleight of pen").

Q: Is the correct phrase 'sleight chance' or 'slight chance'?

Slight chance : slight in this case means "small." If rain is possible but not very likely on a given day, there's a slight chance of rain. If you buy only one of 500 raffle tickets sold, you have a slight chance of winning.

1 of 3

adjective

ˈslīt

Synonyms of slight next

: having a slim or delicate build : not stout or massive in body

: lacking in strength or substance : flimsy, frail

: deficient in weight, solidity, or importance : trivial

a slight movie

: small of its kind or in amount

a slight chance

a slight odor of gas

slightly adverb

slightness noun

slight

2 of 3

verb

slighted; slighting; slights

transitive verb

: to treat as slight or unimportant : make light of

: to treat with disdain or indifference

slight a guest

: to perform or attend to carelessly and inadequately

don't slight your work

slight

3 of 3

noun

: an act or an instance of slighting

: an instance of being slighted : a humiliating discourtesy

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it slight or sleight of hand?

Slight is a homophone of sleight, and feels like it makes sense in this idiom, but sleight of hand is the correct form when referring to a cleverly executed trick. Sleight means "deceitful craftiness" or "stratagem," and slight means "having a slim or delicate build"; a slim person is sometimes described as being "slight of build."

What is the difference between sleight and slight?

Slight is the far more common word. In modern use it can be a verb meaning "to offend or insult someone" (as in "slighted by a rude colleague"), or a noun closely related to that verb ("the colleague's remark could only be seen as a slight"), or it can be an adjective describing people and things that are slim, frail, small, or trivial ("a slight figure," "a slight chance," "a slight movie"). Sleight is a noun that can refer either to a deceitful kind of craftiness, or to skill and dexterity. It is typically found in the phrase "sleight of hand," or variations on that phrase (as in "sleight of pen").

Is the correct phrase sleight chance or slight chance?

Slight chance: slight in this case means "small." If rain is possible but not very likely on a given day, there's a slight chance of rain. If you buy only one of 500 raffle tickets sold, you have a slight chance of winning.

Choose the Right Synonym for slight

Adjective

thin, slender, slim, slight, tenuous mean not thick, broad, abundant, or dense.

thin implies comparatively little extension between surfaces or in diameter, or it may imply lack of substance, richness, or abundance.

thin wire

a thin soup

slender implies leanness or spareness often with grace and good proportion.

the slender legs of a Sheraton chair

slim applies to slenderness that suggests fragility or scantiness.

a slim volume of poetry

a slim chance

slight implies smallness as well as thinness.

a slight build

tenuous implies extreme thinness, sheerness, or lack of substance and firmness.

a tenuous thread

Verb

neglect, disregard, ignore, overlook, slight, forget mean to pass over without giving due attention.

neglect implies giving insufficient attention to something that merits one's attention.

habitually neglected his studies

disregard suggests voluntary inattention.

disregarded the wishes of his family

ignore implies a failure to regard something obvious.

ignored the snide remark

overlook suggests disregarding or ignoring through haste or lack of care.

in my rush I overlooked a key example

slight implies contemptuous or disdainful disregarding or omitting.

slighted several major authors in her survey

forget may suggest either a willful ignoring or a failure to impress something on one's mind.

forget what others say

Examples of slight in a Sentence

Adjective There is a slight chance of rain. Her head is tilted at a slight angle in the picture. If you have even the slightest doubt, then don't do it. Verb I'm sure he didn't mean to slight you. He was slighted by his colleagues. Noun refused to respond to their petty slights

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Adjective

But some experts say more research is still needed, especially since the study found a slight increase in prostate cancer among men who had higher levels of omega-6. —

Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 23 Nov. 2024 Many current partner structures will lend themselves well to adapt to new needs with slight changes in remit and capabilities. —

Forrester, Forbes, 22 Nov. 2024

Verb

Luke Bryan feels slighted by recent election results — but not that one. —

Marina Watts, People.com, 21 Nov. 2024 Arab Americans are one voting bloc that’s used to being slighted by both major parties. —

Abdallah Fayyad, Vox, 7 Dec. 2018

Noun

All belong to private collections, making their display irregular and prominence slight. —

Chadd Scott, Forbes, 28 Oct. 2024 Through the years, their relationship was at times warm and friendly, other times tested by awkward diplomatic slights and deep policy rifts. —

Michael Collins, USA TODAY, 7 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for slight

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Middle English, smooth, slight, probably from Old English sliht- (in eorth-slihtes level with the ground); akin to Old High German sleht smooth, slīhhan to glide — more at slick entry 2

First Known Use

Adjective

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb

1586, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun

1701, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler

The first known use of slight was in the 14th century

See more words from the same century

Cite this Entry

Style

“Slight.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/slight. Accessed 30 Nov. 2024.

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Kids Definition

slight

1 of 3 adjective

ˈslīt

: having a slim or delicate build : not stout

: lacking in strength or substance : flimsy, frail

: lacking weight, solidity, or importance : trivial

: small of its kind or in amount

slightly adverb

slightness noun

slight

2 of 3 verb

: to treat with disrespect

: to perform or attend to carelessly and without proper attention to detail

slight

3 of 3 noun

: an act or an instance of slighting

: a humiliating discourtesy

Last Updated: 29 Nov 2024 - Updated example sentences

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slight

adjective

verb

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Frequently Asked Questions

Synonyms

Examples of slight in a Sentence

Word History

Dictionary Entries Near slight

Cite this Entry

Kids Definition