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

With its massive economy, New York could transform the market for these small-scale solar units nationwide, and pave the way for passage in other states. —Lauren Phillips, New York Daily News, 17 Mar. 2026

The Barbara Pym universe is rendered in small-scale, and the details are what matters. —Literary Hub, 16 Mar. 2026

The Columbia report considered various scenarios, including small-scale hostilities in the Gulf and a major war that closed the Strait of Hormuz and drew in other countries in the region. —John Cassidy, New Yorker, 13 Mar. 2026

Artisanal mine collapses are common in the Central African Republic, where several thousand people work in small-scale extraction mining. —ABC News, 12 Mar. 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