wafer-thin
Almost not there
Wafer-thin describes something extremely thin, as thin as a communion wafer or a sliced confection.
The term emphasizes delicacy or insufficiency: a wafer-thin majority in an election barely counts as a majority at all.
A wafer-thin margin of victory suggests the outcome could easily have gone the other way.
The wafer-thin slices of prosciutto melted on the tongue.
Absolute; also diaphanous
- diaphanousDelicately translucent
- see-throughAllowing vision through
- transparentAllowing light through
- filmyThin and translucent
gauzy · translucent · pellucid · gossamer · limpid · glassy · crystal-clear · wispy
Easily broken or harmed
- brittleLiable to shatter
- breakableCapable of shattering
- fragileEasily broken or damaged
- flimsyWeak and easily damaged
crumbly · shatterable · frail · crackable · frangible · perishable · tenuous · insubstantial
Thin split-off piece
lamina · sheet · layer · slice · hairline · knife-edge · parchment · onionskin
Extremely light, weightless-feeling
- airyLight and well-ventilated
- weightlessHaving no heft
- etherealDelicate beyond earthly measure
- insubstantialLacking physical or material substance
floaty · wispy · vaporous · buoyant · frothy · feathery · cobwebby · nimble
Thin or meager
slight · hairbreadth · bare · scant · negligible · infinitesimal · borderline · close
sheer
Absolute; also diaphanous
- diaphanousDelicately translucent
- see-throughAllowing vision through
- transparentAllowing light through
filmy · gauzy · translucent · pellucid · gossamer · limpid · glassy · crystal-clear · wispy · chiffon
delicate
Easily broken or harmed
flimsy · crumbly · shatterable · frail · crackable · frangible · perishable · tenuous · insubstantial · vulnerable
sliver
Thin split-off piece
membrane · lamina · sheet · layer · slice · hairline · knife-edge · parchment · onionskin · leaf
featherlight
Extremely light, weightless-feeling
- airyLight and well-ventilated
- weightlessHaving no heft
- etherealDelicate beyond earthly measure
insubstantial · floaty · wispy · vaporous · buoyant · frothy · feathery · cobwebby · nimble
slim
Thin or meager
marginal · slight · hairbreadth · bare · scant · negligible · infinitesimal · borderline · close · tight
- hyphenated wordsup-to-date, pitch-black, jaw-dropping, round-the-clock, air-conditioned
- thickness termsthick, gauge, ply, mil, micron
- thin & flatflat, papery, filmy, sheetlike, platy
- crisp texturescrunchy, crispy, flaky, brittle, crackly
wafer-thinsubstantial
Of notable size or importance
comfortable · commanding · considerable · robust · solid