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 the tall-grass prairies that once spread out across pre-settlement Indiana, tiny ground squirrels scurried through the wildflowers, grasses and shrubs. —Karl Schneider, IndyStar, 21 Aug. 2025

These were tiny towns where restaurants serve breakfast with eggs supplied by on-property chickens and eagles are visible on mosquito-laden trails that railroad cars once trudged. —Marcus K. Dowling, The Tennessean, 21 Aug. 2025

The creatures are usually found hanging from phones or handbags—tiny demons haunting our accessories—or clutched as a kind of pet. —Kyle Chayka, New Yorker, 20 Aug. 2025

Keep an eye on tiny Fresno State transfer Malik Sherrod, who is super elusive and created a lot of buzz there. —Bruce Feldman, New York Times, 20 Aug. 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