small change

noun

Synonyms of small changenext
1
: coins of low denomination
2

Examples of small change in a Sentence

a pocket full of small change The fine is a lot of money to some people, but to him it's small change. My problems are small change compared to yours. He wasn't a major criminal. He was strictly small change.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Even a small change in the spelling can indicate a fake site designed to steal information. Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 21 Mar. 2026 Janette Fennell, the founder of the organization, previously told USA TODAY that the deaths typically happen when a parent has a small change in their routine, or parents miscommunicate about who is taking a baby inside. Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 18 Mar. 2026 The show has undergone small changes over the years. Christopher Arnott, Hartford Courant, 15 Mar. 2026 These clocks, or biomarkers, analyze small changes in DNA over time. Lindsey Leake, NBC news, 9 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for small change

Word History

First Known Use

1679, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of small change was in 1679

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Small change.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/small%20change. Accessed 28 Mar. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster