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

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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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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

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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

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 the image that stays with me is of a meeting with Olga, climbing the winding stairs of our little building for a somewhat chaotic coffee in the festival’s office. — Rafa Sales Ross, Variety, 3 Oct. 2026 While voters expressed deep dissatisfaction with Republicans, the survey indicates that voters have relatively little confidence Democrats have their problems in mind. — ABC News, 3 Oct. 2026
Adverb
Yet there is also little denying that factors outside of Merz’s control have combined to create roadblocks to progress. — Sebastian Shukla, CNN Money, 21 Sep. 2026 The Steyer campaign paid a mix of big-name influencers — like Carlos Eduardo Espina, who boosted the candidate to his 14 million followers and advised Steyer on Latino issues — and little-known, everyday social media users to boost the campaign. — Ben Paviour, Sacbee.com, 17 Sep. 2026
Noun
Meanwhile, five pools including one just for littles—as well as complimentary non-motorized water sports—afford plenty of opportunities to stay refreshed. — Gina Kramer, USA Today, 25 July 2026 Harsher penalties do little to deter crime or prevent recidivism among young people. — Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 10 June 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 quick short corner surprised Greenville (6-16-5), and Barea hit the edge of the 18-yard box before lifting a cross to the far post.
    — Idaho Statesman, Idaho Statesman, 4 Oct. 2026
  • Each snapshot showed the electron distribution at a slightly different moment, allowing the researchers to follow quantum motion that occurs on extremely short timescales.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of short
Adjective
  • Only about a dozen countries have active programs, including small Caribbean island states.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 3 Oct. 2026
  • The treasurer’s office says the administrative cost of processing very small payments can exceed their value.
    — Mark Lewyn, Hartford Courant, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • But do such experiences meet the narrow definition of attachment?
    — Pascal Vrticka, Scientific American, 4 Oct. 2026
  • When the pollsters gave likely voters additional, critical information about both candidates, Bass shot up by 5 points and took a narrow lead over Raman, 40% to 39%, with 21% undecided, according to FM3.
    — James Rainey, Los Angeles Times, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of narrow
Adjective
  • The drug induces a powerful loss of personal identity and a brief but total dissolution of time and space.
    — Ryan Sullivan, Artforum, 1 Oct. 2026
  • Getting over this final hurdle comes after months of delays, including the major antitrust lawsuit from a coalition of 12 states, and even a Hail Mary last ditch amicus brief from a grassroots coalition that sought to block the merger entirely.
    — Brian Welk, IndieWire, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of brief
Adjective
  • That said, the actress playing the diminutive vigilante — a remarkable Sneha Kumari — drums up just enough passion and intrigue to counterbalance this relatively rote unfurling.
    — Siddhant Adlakha, IndieWire, 21 Sep. 2026
  • This is a tricky proposition, as these black holes would have a lifetime as diminutive as their size.
    — Robert Lea, Space.com, 21 Sep. 2026
Definition of diminutive
Adverb
  • His dialogue in particular serves as a distinctive through line, with pages of repartee in an off-kilter, slightly formal register flowing through all of his novels.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 1 Oct. 2026
  • During heat treatment, nanoscale regions with slightly different atomic spacing begin to precipitate within the alloy.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of slightly
Adverb
  • Each episode follows one garden over an extended period, capturing animal behavior rarely witnessed by human eyes – from raising families and defending territories to hunting, courting and surviving the changing seasons.
    — Leo Barraclough, Variety, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Yet even as built, the stadium rarely reached capacity, a challenge eventually compounded by the foundering product on the gridiron.
    — Shun Graves, Chicago Tribune, 4 Oct. 2026
Definition of rarely
Noun
  • This whole bit is totally misplayed (though the gown is spectacular).
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 5 Oct. 2026
  • Yet beneath that paper-like surface is a surprisingly simple bit of physics.
    — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 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 7 Oct. 2026.

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