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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
Crowds came in small numbers early Friday, spending little time at security. Gary Fields, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026 The Panthers are two-time Stanley Cup champions but get little attention from the Sun Sentinel. Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 27 June 2026
Adverb
Most urban Russians in those days were little more than one generation removed from their peasant roots, so just about everyone remembered the relevant skills. Fred Weir, Christian Science Monitor, 25 June 2026 Likewise, the way mathematicians pursue that feeling has changed little over the centuries. Benjamin Skuse, IEEE Spectrum, 25 June 2026
Noun
And for all the effort to read between the lines, to connect the dots between moves and motivations, the truth is the Valkyries have given little away about what comes next. Nathan Canilao, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026 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 See All Example Sentences for little
Recent Examples of Synonyms for little
Adjective
  • When in a forest, stay in proximity to shorter tree groupings.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 23 June 2026
  • The tears weren't solely a result of coming up short at another major, but more so about the message his dad shared with him after Burns' Sunday surge up the leader board came up just short.
    Mark Harris OutKick, FOXNews.com, 22 June 2026
Adjective
  • Name the worry out loud, then choose a small boundary that protects your energy, such as turning off notifications during a demanding task.
    Tarot.com, Baltimore Sun, 27 June 2026
  • People milled about clutching small rainbow flags from the human rights organization Outright International.
    Hallie Golden, Chicago Tribune, 27 June 2026
Adjective
  • The narrow 3-2 decision was made at a meeting early Friday morning, the third and final such vote on a data center moratorium.
    Conor Wight, CBS News, 27 June 2026
  • Group 1 is pulmonary arterial hypertension, a rare and severe version that occurs when blood vessels in the lungs narrow and stiffen.
    Elizabeth Cooney, STAT, 26 June 2026
Adjective
  • For a team that began the season with off days coming at a premium, a brief stretch with two open dates is a respite from the wear and tear of a long season.
    Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 25 June 2026
  • So far, operations have run relatively smooth, save for a brief power outage that led to a pretzel shortage.
    Zac Anderson, USA Today, 25 June 2026
Adjective
  • And a scene depicting a barroom brawl among little people, interrupted by similarly diminutive cops and paramedics, feels like it could have been devised by Buñuel.
    Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 25 June 2026
  • The diminutive menu contained just three sandwiches, two salads and a single dessert.
    Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 25 June 2026
Adverb
  • Meanwhile, the share of vote-by-mail ballots dropped slightly.
    Vanessa Martínez, Los Angeles Times, 27 June 2026
  • And all gave slightly different advice.
    Daniel de Visé, USA Today, 27 June 2026
Adverb
  • Those misses rarely occurred in season two, but three episodes into this season, the bat is flying wildly around the stadium, bonking people in the head in a freak mass-casualty bat-event.
    Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 22 June 2026
  • My olive tone complexion tans easily and rarely burns.
    Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 22 June 2026
Noun
  • That was the lone bit of positive news for the Royals (34-49) on Friday.
    Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 27 June 2026
  • Each member of the band had their moment to shine while the crowd danced on the soggy earth, not minding the conditions one bit.
    Patrick Connolly, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Little.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/little. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.

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