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# slightly

«slightly» in Mova's school dictionary: **a little bit, not very much** — its meaning for a pupil, its sense in the lessons and examples, with 5 sentences of Mova's corpora that use it.

### part of speech

adverb (slightly)

### meaning for a pupil

1) Slightly means a little bit, not very much. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slightly/#m1)

2) Slightly can mean in a small or thin way, as in «slightly built» for a small, thin person. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slightly/#m2)

### sense in the lessons

In maths and science, «slightly» means a small difference: «slightly more» or «slightly heavier». In stories, it shows small changes, like a door «slightly open». In everyday life, it makes words softer: «slightly late». Phrases: «slightly more», «slightly less», «slightly different».

### examples

- The door was slightly open. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slightly/#x1)
- My jumper is slightly too big. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slightly/#x2)
- This box is slightly heavier than that one. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slightly/#x3)
- She was slightly late for school. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slightly/#x4)
- Turn the dial slightly to the left. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slightly/#x5)
- The two answers are slightly different. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slightly/#x6)
- The water was slightly warm. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slightly/#x7)
- He felt slightly better after a rest. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slightly/#x8)
- She was slightly inclined to embonpoint. [tree →](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slightly/#x9)

### note

Adverb made from «slight» + -ly. «Slightly» shows a small amount but not an exact number; in a maths problem it does not tell you how much, so you still need the numbers. Opposite: greatly, very much.

### In the corpora

- [A 2022 survey counted about 1,250 finless porpoises, slightly more than five years before.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/biology/379-china-s-great-rivers-the-finless-porpoise-the-lost-baiji-chinese-alligators-and-sturgeon/10/)
- [Fizzy drinks are slightly acidic, because carbon dioxide in water makes a weak acid, and some colas also have phosphoric acid added.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/chemistry/15-acids-in-the-kitchen/12/)
- [Bacteria on teeth make acid from sugar, which damages enamel; toothpaste is slightly alkaline, and fluoride in it makes enamel tougher.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/chemistry/16-alkalis-and-soda/11/)
- [Soap is slightly alkaline and feels slippery; strong alkalis like oven cleaner can burn skin badly.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/chemistry/16-alkalis-and-soda/12/)
- ["Under the weather" means slightly ill.](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/school/euphemisms/3-death-and-feeling-poorly/22/)

### Trees and pragmatics

[Every meaning and example of «slightly» parsed by Mova](https://md.mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/S/slightly/), each sentence with its dependency tree and frames.