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
The nanoemulsion sauces, made of microscopic oil droplets, were particularly effective at increasing carotenoid release in the model.
—
Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Dec. 2025
In what looks more like a dining room than a workshop, watchmakers hunch over their workbenches, assembling the near-microscopic components that make up a watch.
—Will Croxton, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
To test the friction hypothesis, Bonn and his team created a microscopic ice-skating rink.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 Dec. 2025
Without adequate recovery, your body cannot repair the microscopic damage from training or build new muscle tissue.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for microscopic
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Deirdre Bardolf, FOXNews.com, 10 Dec. 2025
In what looks more like a dining room than a workshop, watchmakers hunch over their workbenches, assembling the near-microscopic components that make up a watch.
—Will Croxton, CBS News, 8 Dec. 2025
To test the friction hypothesis, Bonn and his team created a microscopic ice-skating rink.
—Quanta Magazine, 8 Dec. 2025
Without adequate recovery, your body cannot repair the microscopic damage from training or build new muscle tissue.
—Dana Santas, CNN Money, 5 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for microscopic
Cite this Entry
“Microscopic.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/microscopic. Accessed 17 Dec. 2025.
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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