little 1 of 3

adjective

ˈli-tᵊl How to pronounce little (audio)
Definition of littlenext
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

little

2 of 3

adverb

1
as in slightly
in a very small quantity or degree we had little more than we needed to survive in the wilderness

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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

little

3 of 3

noun

as in bit
a very small amount there's just a little of the pie left

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

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

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
Jane tries to give it a bit of meta humor, milking laughs from throwing money at Juicy and doing little jazz hands. —Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 11 Apr. 2026 Tourlas started with a nerve block to temporarily reduce Jack's pain, then prescribed an oral medication that had little effect. —Kerry Breen, CBS News, 11 Apr. 2026
Adverb
Discernibly, very little changed at the start of the second half. —Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2026 As fungal networks come into focus, one thing that remains little known, especially in comparison with our understanding of plants and animals, is their global biodiversity and biogeography. —Quanta Magazine, 6 Apr. 2026
Noun
More than half of littles were developmentally ready for kindergarten. —Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 4 Jan. 2026 Help littles understand the concept of gratitude and paying it forward in a fun way. —Melissa Willets, Parents, 25 Dec. 2025 See All Example Sentences for little
Recent Examples of Synonyms for little
  1. short
  2. small
  3. narrow
  4. brief
  5. diminutive
  6. slightly
  7. rarely
  8. bit
Adjective
  • Separate legislation called the ROTOR Act that the Senate crafted came up one vote short in the House.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 Apr. 2026
  • All those metrics are quickly met in the Ultra Fit class, but vigorous activity comes in many forms, each pushing the body to its limit in a short span of time.
    — Jeff Wagner, CBS News, 14 Apr. 2026
Definition of short
Adjective
  • It was found [that] the actual tumor was pretty small.
    — Meredith Wilshere, PEOPLE, 18 Apr. 2026
  • Then, the family says two others broke through a small window, manhandled their dogs and stole priceless mementos handed down through their family over generations, along with the cash.
    — Nicole Comstock, CBS News, 18 Apr. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • The shape of a pot affects drainage, with taller, narrower pots draining better than shorter, wider ones.
    — Paul Cappiello, Louisville Courier Journal, 17 Apr. 2026
  • The Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway between the Persian Gulf and the Gulf of Oman, previously handled about 20 percent of the world’s oil shipments.
    — Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 17 Apr. 2026
Definition of narrow
Adjective
  • After a brief pursuit, the teen ran away.
    — Ash-har Quraishi, CBS News, 16 Apr. 2026
  • That the timing, however brief, was exact.
    — Stephanie Dillon, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2026
Definition of brief
Adjective
  • And as far as attention to detail, each follow in the footsteps of Amalgam’s miniature Formula 1 replicas and its previous partnerships with Maranello, which include a diminutive 12Cilindri.
    — Erik Shilling, Robb Report, 10 Apr. 2026
  • The device is powered by a rather diminutive 4,050-mAh silicon-carbon battery that supports 33-W charging.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 28 Mar. 2026
Definition of diminutive
Adverb
  • While the broader luxury market has cooled slightly compared to last year, these high-end pockets are playing by a different set of rules.
    — Abby Montanez, Robb Report, 11 Apr. 2026
  • If fingerprints or grease are still there, try a slightly stronger method, but stay gentle.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
Definition of slightly
Adverb
  • While his commercial passengers might recognize his face, the King said at the time that he rarely gets identified from his cockpit announcements.
    — Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026
  • But governments in authoritarian and one-party states rarely take a hands-off approach — especially when the business belongs to a sitting president.
    — Bernard Condon, Los Angeles Times, 13 Apr. 2026
Definition of rarely
Noun
  • For Rory McIlroy, the trek toward getting a second Masters championship got a little bit harder.
    — Rod Beard, AJC.com, 12 Apr. 2026
  • For whatever sprinkling of sociopathy that Quinn might have, seeing her dead best friend’s daughter, who looks just like her best friend, standing in front of her cracks through a little bit.
    — Max Gao, Variety, 11 Apr. 2026
Definition of bit

Phrases Containing little

Browse Nearby Words

litters
little
little bitty
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Cite this Entry

“Little.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/little. Accessed 20 Apr. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of little for Spanish Speakers

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