microscopic
adjective
mi·cro·scop·ic
ˌmī-krə-ˈskä-pik 
variants
or less commonly microscopical
1
: resembling a microscope especially in perception
2
a
: invisible or indistinguishable without the use of a microscope
b
: very small or fine or precise
3
: of, relating to, or conducted with the microscope or microscopy
Examples of microscopic in a Sentence
At this point, the embryo is a microscopic clump of only 100 cells.
There is a microscopic crack in the diamond.
He has a microscopic attention span.
He recorded every aspect of his trip in microscopic detail.
a microscopic study of plant tissues
Recent Examples on the Web
Then an instrument on the lander will beam lasers outward to the rovers to compare their distances with microscopic precision.
—
Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
Fortunately, some vacuums come with more effective HEPA filters for capturing these microscopic particles.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Van Nuland was more interested in what was happening underground, where sprawling systems of fungal threads — from microscopic ducts to arteries thick as yarn — extended dozens of feet horizontally in all directions.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
As experimental tools continue to improve, scientists will be able to explore the microscopic world with even greater precision, unlocking new possibilities for science and technology.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for microscopic
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Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Apr. 2026
Fortunately, some vacuums come with more effective HEPA filters for capturing these microscopic particles.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Apr. 2026
Van Nuland was more interested in what was happening underground, where sprawling systems of fungal threads — from microscopic ducts to arteries thick as yarn — extended dozens of feet horizontally in all directions.
—Quanta Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
As experimental tools continue to improve, scientists will be able to explore the microscopic world with even greater precision, unlocking new possibilities for science and technology.
—Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 6 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for microscopic
Cite this Entry
“Microscopic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microscopic. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
microscopic
adjective
mi·cro·scop·ic
ˌmī-krə-ˈskäp-ik
variants
also microscopical
1
: of, relating to, or conducted with the microscope or microscopy
a microscopic examination
2
: resembling a microscope : able to see very tiny objects
some insects have microscopic vision
3
: able to be seen only through a microscope : very small
a microscopic plant
Medical Definition
microscopic
adjective
mi·cro·scop·ic
ˌmī-krə-ˈskäp-ik
variants
or microscopical
1
: of, relating to, or conducted with the microscope or microscopy
2
: so small or fine as to be invisible or indistinguishable without the use of a microscope compare macroscopic, submicroscopic, ultramicroscopic sense 1
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