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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

little

3 of 3

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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
But cases are on the rise as more people report symptoms such as hives, diarrhea and itchiness after eating as little as a mouthful of meat and — in some cases — dairy. —Matthew Perrone, Fortune, 13 June 2026 This hearty meal will satisfy your little (and big) buckaroos. —Nellah Bailey McGough, Southern Living, 13 June 2026
Adverb
The 10-year Treasury yield was little changed. —Jim Cramer, CNBC, 12 June 2026 That the wading herons need do little more than stand and open their mouths to receive the fish jumping from the shallows? —Jeff Vandermeer, Travel + Leisure, 11 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
  1. short
  2. small
  3. narrow
  4. brief
  5. diminutive
  6. slightly
  7. rarely
  8. bit
Adjective
  • The resort's short course, The Clutch, takes full advantage of the scenic setting, and fishing charters and nature tours are available from the marina.
    — Allison Tibaldi, USA Today, 9 June 2026
  • All of this might seem a lot to go through for a few short words, but since those words are the first impression of the book, and have to be intriguing all on their own, the effort was well worthwhile—enough, hopefully, to invite readers to pick up the book and make their own decision.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 June 2026
Definition of short
Adjective
  • The national initiative is awarding more than $10 million to help small businesses grow, innovate, and strengthen their local communities, a spokesperson from the grant program said.
    — Pamela McLoughlin, Hartford Courant, 12 June 2026
  • Supporting small businesses also played a major role in her strategy.
    — Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 12 June 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • Natalie Neysa Alund The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow 100-mile-long waterway in the Middle East and has been a point of key contention during the course of the war.
    — Bart Jansen, USA Today, 13 June 2026
  • According to the home’s actual dimensions, the doorway (which didn’t exist when the family moved in) should dead-end to an external wall; instead, when Navidson opens the door, there’s a narrow hallway nearly ten feet long inside.
    — Roxana Hadadi, Vulture, 12 June 2026
Definition of narrow
Adjective
  • The goal came on a free shot from 10 yards out that snuck under the cross bar and sent Edina into a state of euphoria and the Raiders, likely, into a brief state of shock.
    — Anya Armentrout, Twin Cities, 10 June 2026
  • Hey, this is a brief dark cloud on your horizon.
    — Georgia Nicols, Denver Post, 10 June 2026
Definition of brief
Adjective
  • The couple’s diminutive chihuahua, Willow, has also become something of a local celebrity.
    — Sean Timberlake, Sacbee.com, 12 June 2026
  • While an archery set is a more conventional instrument of death, it’s wielded with eerie poise by one diminutive villain played by Yayan Ruhian.
    — Guy Lodge, Variety, 11 June 2026
Definition of diminutive
Adverb
  • Going slightly lighter in the center and matching your overall skin tone at the outer edges creates a more natural, dimensional result.
    — Jailynn Taylor, Allure, 13 June 2026
  • Stray electric and magnetic fields that can slightly disturb electrons have far less influence on the nucleus.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 13 June 2026
Definition of slightly
Adverb
  • Some are seasonally inappropriate—for instance, winter puffers in a city where the temperature rarely falls below 77 degrees Fahrenheit—or cut for oversized Western silhouettes that dwarf the average Ghanaian body.
    — Jasmin Malik Chua, Footwear News, 8 June 2026
  • But the historically complex process has rarely been implemented; between 1990 and 2017, the Justice Department filed an average of just 11 legal complaints per year seeking to denaturalize American citizens, according to historical data.
    — Aki Nace, CBS News, 8 June 2026
Definition of rarely
Noun
  • Sunday brings a little bit of everything.
    — Damien Lodes, CBS News, 13 June 2026
  • Drill bit makers who serve the oil and gas industry are replacing tungsten drill bits with steel, which wears more quickly.
    — Ari Sen, Scientific American, 13 June 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 16 Jun. 2026.

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