small change

noun

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.
That small change in walking gait helped alleviate their chronic knee pain, researchers found. The Washington Post, San Diego Union-Tribune, 16 Sep. 2025 Other savings will come from various small changes, like eliminating the city's Adobe contract and using postcards instead of letters for property tax statements. Elliott Wenzler, Denver Post, 16 Sep. 2025 Left unchecked, technical debt acts like organizational friction, making even small changes expensive and risky. Buyan Thyagarajan, Forbes.com, 16 Sep. 2025 Numarine knows small changes to a yacht can make a huge difference. Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, 16 Sep. 2025 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

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Cite this Entry

“Small change.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/small%20change. Accessed 18 Sep. 2025.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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