paper-thin
Barely there, materially
Paper-thin describes something extremely thin, like a sheet of paper.
The term applies literally to physical objects—paper-thin slices of prosciutto, paper-thin walls—and figuratively to things lacking substance or depth: a paper-thin plot, a paper-thin excuse.
The hyphen is standard when used before a noun.
Thin crisp disk
- sheerAbsolute; also diaphanous
- filmyThin and translucent
- gauzyThin and transparent
- gossamerFilmy, delicate material
diaphanous · translucent · see-through · membrane · onionskin · tissue · leaf · sliver
Easily broken or harmed
- brittleLiable to shatter
- tearableAble to be ripped
- breakableCapable of shattering
- fragileEasily broken or damaged
crackable · frangible · friable · tender · vulnerable · perishable · crumbly · flimsy
Lacking power or force
- unconvincingNot able to persuade
- superficialLacking depth or substance
- shallowWithout much depth
- insubstantialLacking physical or material substance
flimsy · tenuous · slight · negligible · shoddy · inadequate · unsubstantial · hollow
wafer
Thin crisp disk
gossamer · diaphanous · translucent · see-through · membrane · onionskin · tissue · leaf · sliver · lamina
delicate
Easily broken or harmed
fragile · crackable · frangible · friable · tender · vulnerable · perishable · crumbly · flimsy · insubstantial
weak
Lacking power or force
- unconvincingNot able to persuade
- superficialLacking depth or substance
- shallowWithout much depth
insubstantial · flimsy · tenuous · slight · negligible · shoddy · inadequate · unsubstantial · hollow · empty
sliced
Divided by cutting
planed · pared · whittled · slivered · fine · uniform · even · meticulous · carpaccio · prosciutto
- thin & flatflat, filmy, sheetlike, platy, tabular
- hyphenated wordsup-to-date, pitch-black, jaw-dropping, round-the-clock, air-conditioned
- thickness termsthick, gauge, ply, mil, micron
- thin foodstortilla, crepe, phyllo, lavash, nori
- blade sharpnesssharp, dull, blunt, keen, razor-sharp
- skinnyslim, slender, lean, skinny, bony
paper-thinthick
Having great depth
bulky · chunky · massive · voluminous · fat
paper-thinrock-solid
Utterly firm and reliable
substantial · solid · ironclad · bulletproof · airtight
thin, paper, newspaper, papers, thinned, thinning, wallpaper, sandpaper, thinness