: insignificant in performance, scope, or standing : petty
small-time thieves
small-timer noun

Examples of small-time in a Sentence

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.
The story follows former police officer Thakur Baldev Singh, who enlists two small-time rogues — the charismatic Veeru and introspective Jai — to capture the notorious dacoit Gabbar Singh, who terrorizes the village of Ramgarh. Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 23 June 2025 New York City Police arrested him in 2025 for petit larceny, a misdemeanor for small-time theft. Fernando Cervantes Jr, USA Today, 13 June 2025 But these are small-time measures compared with getting us off the rare earth addiction, something so strategically important. Jim Cramer, CNBC, 9 June 2025 For back-to-back nights, more than 45,000 fans packed the Big A to see the Savannah Bananas — a team born from a small-time collegiate summer team that became a tour de force that has forever changed baseball. Anthony De Leon, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for small-time

Word History

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of small-time was in 1915

Cite this Entry

“Small-time.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/small-time. Accessed 2 Jul. 2025.

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