slightly
gb/slˈaɪtli/ us/slˈaɪtli/
A2
English
~ 1200
Senses
0 senses
adverb
A2
property
1
To a small extent
A little; not very much.
Usage pattern:
slightly [adjective/adverb]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'slightly' with 'lightly'. 'Lightly' usually refers to physical force or weight, while 'slightly' refers to degree or amount.
Synonyms
a little (Very common and informal alternative with the same meaning.)
|
marginally (Slightly more formal and often used in business or academic contexts.)
Antonyms
considerably (Indicates a much greater degree, the opposite of 'slightly'.)
|
significantly (Shows a large and important difference, opposite to a small one.)
Collocations
slightly different
|slightly better
|slightly larger
|slightly open
|slightly injured
Themes
daily life
|communication
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- The soup is slightly too salty.
- She looked slightly confused by the question.
- It’s slightly warmer today than yesterday.
- He moved the chair slightly to the left.
- I’m feeling slightly better after resting.
Learner examples
- The room is slightly cold.
- I am slightly tired.
- The bag is slightly heavy.
- She is slightly late.
- The door is slightly open.
Grammar
Dictionary form
slightly
IPA
GB/slˈaɪtli/
US/slˈaɪtli/
Syllables & stress
slightly (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (slightly)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: slightly
- Plural: slightlies
Word family
Expressions
ever so slightly
1/ˈɛvɚ sˈoʊ slˈaɪtli/
fixed phrase
To a very small extent
Only a little bit; almost not at all.
Examples
- He was ever so slightly annoyed by the noise.
- The door was ever so slightly open, letting in a draft.
move slightly
1/mˈuv slˈaɪtli/
fixed phrase
Change position a little bit
To change where something is, but only a little.
Examples
- Could you move slightly to your left?
- She moved slightly to make room for him.