tiny

adjective

ti·​ny ˈtī-nē 

tinier; tiniest

: very small or diminutive : minute

tinily

ˈtī-nə-lē 

adverb

tininess

ˈtī-nē-nəs 

noun

Synonyms

• minuscule
• miniature
• microscopic
• small

Choose the Right Synonym for tiny

small, little, diminutive, minute, tiny, miniature mean noticeably below average in size.

small and little are often interchangeable, but small applies more to relative size determined by capacity, value, number.

a relatively small backyard

little is more absolute in implication often carrying the idea of petiteness, pettiness, insignificance, or immaturity.

your pathetic little smile

diminutive implies abnormal smallness.

diminutive bonsai plants

minute implies extreme smallness.

a minute amount of caffeine in the soda

tiny is an informal equivalent to minute.

tiny cracks formed in the painting

miniature applies to an exactly proportioned reproduction on a very small scale.

a dollhouse with miniature furnishings

Examples of tiny in a Sentence

The computer chips were tiny.

He's from a tiny town that you've probably never heard of.

There's just one tiny little problem.

Aren't you even a tiny bit scared?

Recent Examples on the Web

In many respects, CDMS users receive the powerful anti-ship capabilities of a surface warfare vessel worth many hundreds of millions of dollars for just a tiny fraction of that price. —Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 11 Oct. 2025

Spiders have venom to subdue prey, but the majority have fangs that are too tiny to puncture human skin. —Arricca Elin Sansone, Southern Living, 11 Oct. 2025

The side walls and the top flap zip open, and the mesh walls have tiny curtains that roll up or Velcro closed to give your pet some peace and quiet. —Olivia Young, Travel + Leisure, 11 Oct. 2025

The superintendent of Julian Union Elementary School District is retiring at the end of the school year after more than a decade leading the tiny rural district in San Diego County’s mountainous east. —Sam Schulz, San Diego Union-Tribune, 10 Oct. 2025

Word History

Etymology

alteration of Middle English tine

First Known Use

1598, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing tiny

• tiny house

Rhymes for tiny

• briny
• piney
• shiny
• spiny
• consignee
• sunshiny

Kids Definition

tiny

adjective

ti·​ny ˈtī-nē 

tinier; tiniest

: very small : minute

tininess noun