little 1 of 3

1
2
3
4
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

little

2 of 3

adverb

little

3 of 3

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word little distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of little are diminutive, miniature, minute, small, and tiny. While all these words mean "noticeably below average in size," little is more absolute in implication often carrying the idea of petiteness, pettiness, insignificance, or immaturity.

your pathetic little smile

When is diminutive a more appropriate choice than little?

Although the words diminutive and little have much in common, diminutive implies abnormal smallness.

diminutive bonsai plants

In what contexts can miniature take the place of little?

The synonyms miniature and little are sometimes interchangeable, but miniature applies to an exactly proportioned reproduction on a very small scale.

a dollhouse with miniature furnishings

When would minute be a good substitute for little?

The words minute and little can be used in similar contexts, but minute implies extreme smallness.

a minute amount of caffeine in the soda

How are the words small and little related?

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

a relatively small backyard

How do tiny and minute relate to one another, in the sense of little?

Tiny is an informal equivalent to minute.

tiny cracks formed in the painting

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
Adjective
With due respect, however, the Sixers have been winning because of the little things. Tony Jones, New York Times, 26 Oct. 2025 This offense should still be able to move the ball with little difficulty against a Commanders D that looked awful against Atlanta, Chicago and Dallas in recent weeks. Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Oct. 2025
Adverb
The Office of Management and Budget, like Vought himself, is little known outside the Beltway and poorly understood even among political insiders. Andy Kroll, New Yorker, 17 Oct. 2025 The Dow Jones Industrial Average rose 26 points, and the Nasdaq composite was little changed. Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 Oct. 2025
Noun
The documents Gabbard has released do little to suggest wrongdoing by the intelligence community in seeking to investigate Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 contest. Brett Samuels, The Hill, 5 Aug. 2025 The Biden White House’s lack of focus on speeding the permit process meant his administration ended with precious little to show for the whole-of-government approach that failed to address this key element. David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for little
Recent Examples of Synonyms for little
Adjective
  • For shorter getaways or everyday commuting, the Zella Travel Canvas Tote Bag is down to just $30—roomy enough for your essentials but lightweight enough to carry anywhere.
    Rosie Marder, Travel + Leisure, 31 Oct. 2025
  • Schumer wore a short Miu Miu button-down shirt dress and black heels — and the comments had kind words for her fitness progress.
    Madison E. Goldberg, PEOPLE, 31 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Add the ginger during the last minute of cooking, then transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Martin knocked on the hunter’s small tent.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • United, some of whose senior leadership team, including its chief executive, Scott Kirby, came from American, has done the opposite and is in the process of adding thousands of screens to narrow-body planes both new and old, including Bluetooth technology for wireless headphones.
    Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 26 Oct. 2025
  • The Fitzgerald was designed to carry as much cargo as possible and still fit through the narrow locks at Sault Ste.
    Kevin Duchschere, Boston Herald, 26 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • After a brief struggle for traction, the robot regained control by crouching slightly, mimicking a human posture to exert force.
    Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 28 Oct. 2025
  • But the music industry can be particularly cruel to sexy women, their shelf life being brief.
    Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 28 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Baby-faced, diminutive, and drowned by the baggy shirts on his back, Mora is a child running rings around the pros.
    Thom Harris, New York Times, 23 Oct. 2025
  • That the diminutive McDaniel didn’t look (or sound) the part of an NFL head coach hardly mattered two years ago, when his team was hanging 70 points on Denver.
    Barry Jackson Updated October 19, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • The slightly older cohort of Gen Zers enjoyed thousands more open roles and half the competition that their peers face today.
    Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 28 Oct. 2025
  • Add the white and pale green scallion pieces, cooking and stirring occasionally until the scallions are slightly charred, about 3 minutes.
    Elizabeth Fogarty, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • For those without any shelter, there’s always the risk that valuables or important documents will get tossed during a cleanup, and public records show that city crews are rarely flagging belongings for storage.
    Blake Nelson, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Oct. 2025
  • But the couple rarely posts pictures of their children, so how Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet look these days is anyone’s guess.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 29 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • In retirement, Paulsen does a little bit of everything.
    Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 25 Oct. 2025
  • While speaking with James Austin Johnson at 'Rolling Stone's' Musicians on Musicians event, Role Model revealed the interesting bit of 'Sally' lore.
    Tabitha Parent, PEOPLE, 24 Oct. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Little.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/little. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on little

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!