A silver halide photographic light-sensitive element having at least one hydrophilic colloid layer containing at least one basic polymer and at least one merocyanine dye represented by the following general formula (I): ##STR1## wherein X represents an alkyl group, an aralkyl group, an aryl group, an alkoxy group, a hydroxy group, an amino group, a carboxy group or an alkoxycarbonyl group; Y represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, a lower alkyl group, a hydroxy group or a sulfo group; R.sub.1 represents an alkyl group; R.sub.2 and R.sub.3, which may be the same or different, each represents a hydrogen atom, a halogen atom, an alkyl group, an alkoxy group or an alkoxycarbonyl group; L.sub.1, L.sub.2, L.sub.3 and L.sub.4 each represents a methine group; m represents 0 or 1; and M represents a cation.