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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

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

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
Scrub the feet as well, getting the little bristles inside to remove any mold. —Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2026 Despite echidnas being super spiky, Grace always gives her little pats, and Bella thinks that's the most wonderful thing in the whole wide world. —Lauren Brown West-Rosenthal, Parents, 28 Feb. 2026
Adverb
Home-buying expectations were little changed in February, generally a slow time for the housing market, which has been mired in a years-long slump. —CBS News, 24 Feb. 2026 Republicans continue to see the president as sharp, with 81% of them describing the president that way in the latest poll, little changed from the 2023 survey. —Jason Lange, USA Today, 24 Feb. 2026
Noun
All of us — grownups, littles and bigs — send our love and wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. —Caleb Harris, Austin American Statesman, 17 Dec. 2025 These bags offer warmth, safety, and peace of mind for parents who want to bring their littles on all of their camping trips. —Joe Jackson, Outside, 18 Nov. 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
  • Meanwhile, a shorter conflict in which disruptions are easily reversible could mean the current price spike won't last.
    — DAVID McHUGH, Arkansas Online, 3 Mar. 2026
  • Regime change on the cheap—by covert action, military coup, airpower, or short ground war—has tempted almost every American president since World War II.
    — George Packer, The Atlantic, 2 Mar. 2026
Definition of short
Adjective
  • Published in the journal Matter, the underlying mechanisms behind the inferior photochemical of polymer acceptor and develops a method to enhance both efficiency and stability through small-molecule incorporation.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 28 Feb. 2026
  • February storms brought fresh snow to the Sierra Nevada, but California’s snowpack remains far smaller than average during a winter that has brought record warmth across much of the West.
    — Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • But equal time itself is narrower than many assume.
    — Jay Caruso, The Washington Examiner, 27 Feb. 2026
  • This lamp has an ultraslim frame, ideal for a narrow bedroom or tight reading nook.
    — Kate McGregor, Architectural Digest, 27 Feb. 2026
Definition of narrow
Adjective
  • For a brief shining moment, that looked like a good bet, as gas prices rose to nearly $10 per million BTUs in mid-2022.
    — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Police said Chavarria didn’t yield, leading to a brief pursuit.
    — Timia Cobb Breaking News Reporter, Dallas Morning News, 4 Mar. 2026
Definition of brief
Adjective
  • Wearing a skin-tight black leather jumpsuit and futuristic sunglasses, with her tiny chihuahua, Pilaf, in her arms, the entire look felt straight from The Matrix, if that franchise added the character of a diminutive dog to the mix.
    — Séraphine Roger, Vanity Fair, 28 Feb. 2026
  • Set a century before the events of Game of Thrones and 72 years after House of the Dragon, A Knight of Seven Kingdom follows two unlikely heroes wandering Westeros … a young, naïve but courageous knight, Ser Duncan the Tall (Peter Claffey), and his diminutive squire, Egg (Dexter Sol Ansell).
    — Katie Campione, Deadline, 26 Feb. 2026
Definition of diminutive
Adverb
  • But the wider variety in the group stage, slightly counterintuitively, creates less variety at the business end of the tournament.
    — Nick Miller, New York Times, 28 Feb. 2026
  • The different product lines have slightly different additives for either muscle, nerve or foot discomfort, including arnica, capsaicin, urea or aloe vera.
    — Tory Johnson, ABC News, 28 Feb. 2026
Definition of slightly
Adverb
  • Hite rarely entertained the possibility that people might be answering her questionnaire on a particularly bad day, or that anonymity might encourage exaggeration.
    — Margaret Talbot, New Yorker, 2 Mar. 2026
  • The irony is that this shift rarely feels like a loss of control.
    — Big Think, Big Think, 2 Mar. 2026
Definition of rarely
Noun
  • That strategic depth was dismantled bit by bit by Israel after the October 7 attacks.
    — Abbas Al Lawati, CNN Money, 1 Mar. 2026
  • Until such a ruling, the debate over the nomenclature of poultry bits will beat on, wings against the current.
    — EMILY HEIL THE WASHINGTON POST, Arkansas Online, 1 Mar. 2026
Definition of bit

Phrases Containing little

Browse Nearby Words

litters
little
little bitty
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Little.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/little. Accessed 6 Mar. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on little

Nglish: Translation of little for Spanish Speakers

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!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of vaunted

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

5 Verbal Slip Ups and Language Mistakes

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

The Difference Between 'i.e.' and 'e.g.'

Democracy or Republic: What's the difference?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Words of the Week - Mar. 6

Why do we say 'make a beeline'?

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?

17 Words for Dog Breeds

Birds Say the Darndest Things
See More

Popular

See More

More Words You Always Have to Look Up

The Words of the Week - Mar. 6

Why do we say 'make a beeline'?
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
child-with-a-telescope
Spot the Misspelled Word Quiz March 2026 Guage your ability to identify out-of-place letters.
See All