1
as in short
having relatively little height
there was a little hedge separating the two lawns
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in small
lacking importance
there were just a few little details left to take care of
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in narrow
not broad or open in views or opinions
little-minded people who dislike the fact that human society is always progressing
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in brief
not lasting for a considerable time
let's take a little pause to relax
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in diminutive
of a size that is less than average
the petting zoo has a little horse in addition to all of the goats and sheep
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
as in slightly
in a very small quantity or degree
we had little more than we needed to survive in the wilderness
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rarely
not often
he's been studying very little for the bar exam
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in bit
a very small amount
there's just a little of the pie left
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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.
Recent Examples of little
John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026
What hit me was how quickly the conversation centered around control and how little time was spent discussing who was expected to absorb the consequences.
—Demetri Giannikopoulos, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 June 2026
Dooley, the son of legendary UGA football coach Vince Dooley, was little known in Georgia apart from his years as the football coach at the University of Tennessee.
—Patricia Murphy, AJC.com, 17 June 2026
Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Strong adults will let the littles (who really should not be skiing with their own poles yet in most cases) grab their pole.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for little
Adjective
But skeptics of Elliott’s plans say there is little precedent in the modern era of municipalities, or even states, wresting control from private for-profit utilities.
—John Moritz, Hartford Courant, 20 June 2026
What hit me was how quickly the conversation centered around control and how little time was spent discussing who was expected to absorb the consequences.
—Demetri Giannikopoulos, Forbes.com, 20 June 2026
Adverb
Otherwise, the balcony is likely to become crowded and little-used.
—Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 June 2026
Dooley, the son of legendary UGA football coach Vince Dooley, was little known in Georgia apart from his years as the football coach at the University of Tennessee.
—Patricia Murphy, AJC.com, 17 June 2026
Noun
Nanny Aimee -- our second in command -- was moving through the far corners of the house, waking up each of the littles, kissing sleepy eyelids, tugging my two toddlers gently forward into the day.
—Shafiq Najib, ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
Strong adults will let the littles (who really should not be skiing with their own poles yet in most cases) grab their pole.
—Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 25 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for little
Recent Examples of Synonyms for little
Adjective
-
Anyone hoping to see intricate short passing has been sorely disappointed thus far.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
16 June 2026
-
An affordable wellness retreat typically falls in the budget-to-mid-range tier, roughly $1,000 to $2,000 for a week-long stay, or under $500 per night for shorter trips.—
Hanna Wickes,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
16 June 2026
Adjective
-
After selling baklava at the Stock Show, the Unlus rented their first resraurant space in a small Eighth Avenue food hall.—
Bud Kennedy,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
20 June 2026
-
The Virgo moon asks you to focus on the small tasks.—
USA TODAY,
USA Today,
20 June 2026
Adjective
-
The narrow win pushed Morocco into first place in Group C, all but securing a spot in the knockout rounds for the 2022 World Cup semifinalists.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
20 June 2026
-
Just outside downtown, this narrow stretch of former warehouses is now lined with markets, mom-and-pop shops and restaurants that spill onto the sidewalks all summer long.—
Gabby Sartori,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
That brief relief seemingly ignored an announcement from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) just a few days earlier, that could create more intractable trouble for businesses in the months ahead.—
Tristan Bove,
Fortune,
17 June 2026
-
Having a holiday such as Juneteenth to celebrate allows for a brief respite—a pause—to recall how necessary Black Americans are to the very existence and survival of this country—then and now.—
Jennifer Rosen Heinz,
Parents,
17 June 2026
Adjective
-
The diminutive restaurant is about as no-nonsense inside as out.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
-
Even still, most of its diminutive size was just plastic packaging, encasing the far tinier, unfathomably dense network of billions of transistors embedded in silicon.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 June 2026
Adverb
-
Across the full sample, those with insecure attachments reported wanting slightly larger families than those with secure ones, and insecure attachment was likewise modestly associated with having more children.—
Rachel Nuwer,
Scientific American,
20 June 2026
-
While the numbers of comedies on the ballot stayed almost level with last year (up very slightly to 71 from 69), dramas dropped from 126 in 2025 to 110 this year, and limited/anthology series are down to 31, from 44 last year.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
20 June 2026
Adverb
-
Game Changer rarely has that problem.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
16 June 2026
-
Mayor Vi Lyles, who plans to resign as soon as an appointment is made, rarely intervenes when discussion goes awry and often loses track of motions.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
15 June 2026
Noun
-
This is done in stages, using multiple centrifuges that enrich the uranium bit by bit.—
Adithi Ramakrishnan,
Los Angeles Times,
20 June 2026
-
What impressed us most was their commitment to the bit.—
Danielle Directo-Meston,
HollywoodReporter,
20 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Little.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/little. Accessed 23 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
