small-scale

adjective

ˈsmȯl-ˈskāl 

1

: small in scope

especially : small in output or operation

2

of a map : having a scale (such as one inch to 25 miles) that permits plotting of comparatively little detail and shows mainly large features

Examples of small-scale in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In fact, technically, invasive BCI has already enabled people to communicate via telepathy, albeit only in small-scale research settings so far. — Rob Toews, Forbes.com, 22 June 2026

Many high-end retirement communities create small-scale paradises with activities all day for hobbyists, lifelong learners, and social butterflies. — Literary Hub, 18 June 2026

However, California has a classification for farmstays, small-scale accommodations of up to five rooms on an agricultural property. — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 17 June 2026

Drawing on inquisitorial records, Ginzburg showed how power and resistance are embedded in the same documents, using small-scale cases to illuminate broader tensions between elite and popular culture, and between authority and dissent. — ABC News, 17 June 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1851, in the meaning defined at sense 2

Rhymes for small-scale

• airmail
• assail
• avail
• bewail
• blackmail
• cattail
• cocktail
• curtail
• derail
• detail
• dovetail
• email