small-time

1 of 2

adjective

Synonyms of small-timenext
: insignificant in performance, scope, or standing : petty
small-time thieves
small-timer noun

small-timer

2 of 2

noun

small-tim·​er
"+ə(r)
: one that is small-time or belongs to a small-time group

Examples of small-time in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Adjective
With all that activity, small-time Helsinki took off, becoming a boomtown in support of the grand strategic fort. Tribune News Service, Baltimore Sun, 10 June 2026 In Romania, the Tates turned their small-time webcam enterprise into a kind of industrial operation. Heidi Blake, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 Stallone stars as Rocky Balboa, a small-time Philly boxer who gets hand-picked to fight the heavyweight champion of the world, Apollo Creed (Weathers), for an unlikely shot at the belt. Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 5 June 2026 At 56, White is no longer a small-time boxing coach from South Boston. Jack Crosbie, Rolling Stone, 26 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for small-time

Word History

Etymology

Noun

small time + -er

First Known Use

Adjective

1915, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1914, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of small-time was in 1914

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Small-time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/small-time. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

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