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Definition of littlenext
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little

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adverb

little

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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
Like the firm's Algarve model, there are some nice little touches in here, such as indirect lighting and a pop-up power outlet integrated into the cabinetry. Adam Williams may 30, New Atlas, 30 May 2026 Getting too little sodium through diet is rare. Sheah Rarback, Miami Herald, 30 May 2026
Adverb
But one crucial ingredient in the invasion’s success—that forecast—is still little known to the broad public. Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 29 May 2026 Nikola Vučević gave Boston very little late in the regular season, but Mazzulla still stuck with him through six games of the first round. Jay King, New York Times, 28 May 2026
Noun
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 There are a host of other things available to entertain your littles, tweens, and teens around town, including The Butterfly Conservatory, Eco-Discovery Center, Shipwreck Museum, and Truman Waterfront Park’s splash pad. Ronny Maye, Essence, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for little
Recent Examples of Synonyms for little
Adjective
  • Living for today, everyone apparently agreed, was characteristic of a youth culture that was dropping out from a system and society responsible for cutting life short both at home and abroad.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
  • In previous cases, humans exposed to the product have reported both short and long-term respiratory effects.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 25 May 2026
Adjective
  • The National Federation of Independent Business has warned that small businesses and consumers who rely on energy, rather than oil giants, will end up holding the bag.
    Yaël Ossowski, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026
  • But as funding from cap-and-invest and the climate bond dwindle, the state must increasingly turn to Cal Fire, which devotes only a small portion of its budget to mitigation work.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Adjective
  • Malaysian diver Lee Kian Lie told CNN that rescue divers were teaching the villagers how to dive out of the cave themselves, as the space is narrow and water levels are not coming down despite efforts to pump the water out.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
  • Delegates to the state conventions don’t mirror the broader electorate, and their candidate selections can often represent more narrow preference of the party base.
    Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026
Adjective
  • One option considered was the former Burnley and Everton manager Sean Dyche, whose brief stint at Nottingham Forest already felt doomed.
    Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 28 May 2026
  • The suspect ran from officers but was arrested after a brief pursuit, according to police.
    Jason Green, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
Adjective
  • One of the other creatures parked in Clark’s Backrooms nest is a diminutive entity in velvety red that strongly recalls a still, silent version of the Little Man From Another Place, a signature character from David Lynch’s Twin Peaks.
    Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 29 May 2026
  • For the past few weeks, swarms of the diminutive insects have been seen flittering en masse through parks and backyards across the Bay Area.
    Paul Rogers, Mercury News, 26 May 2026
Adverb
  • There are already some signs that the popularity of slightly smaller homes is on the rise.
    Allison Schrager, Boston Herald, 31 May 2026
  • That includes first class or business class, but also the premium seats in the middle of the plane that offer slightly more legroom, priority boarding and less time to exit the plane upon landing.
    Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
Adverb
  • Writers have afforded Monroe the grace and status in death that she was rarely afforded in life.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2026
  • Still, transport aircraft rarely need this setup, so the idea of a combat role is hard to dismiss.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 25 May 2026
Noun
  • Maybe get him in motion a little bit more.
    Jaylon Thompson, Kansas City Star, 30 May 2026
  • There was always a little bit of John in each one of his performances.
    Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 30 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Little.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/little. Accessed 2 Jun. 2026.

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