little 1 of 3

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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

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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
Shanen Wright, 48, a lifelong Charleston resident who lives near CAMC Memorial, said many in the city have little worry about flooding in the face of more immediate problems, like the opioid epidemic and the decline of manufacturing and mining. CNN Money, 5 Oct. 2025 At first, though, there was little doubt in the North that there was no moral equivalency of cause with the South. Matthew Wills, JSTOR Daily, 5 Oct. 2025
Adverb
But Pat and Perfidia’s movement is little better. Graham Hillard, The Washington Examiner, 3 Oct. 2025 The pan-European Stoxx 600 was little changed shortly after the opening bell, with sectors and major bourses trading in mixed territory. Tasmin Lockwood,chloe Taylor, CNBC, 1 Oct. 2025
Noun
The Biden White House’s lack of focus on speeding the permit process meant his administration ended with precious little to show for the whole-of-government approach that failed to address this key element. David Blackmon, Forbes.com, 30 July 2025 Yet the inevitability of aging does little to make the housing system friendlier to the disabled or the elderly. Jessica Slice, The Atlantic, 28 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for little
Recent Examples of Synonyms for little
Adjective
  • While the average cruise length is around seven days, short sailings can pack an entire vacation’s worth of fun into a mid-week getaway or long weekend.
    Nathan Diller, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Ross is also taller, giving officers more viewing coverage above crowds than Walking Horses, which can be as short as 14 hands, or 4 feet, 9 inches tall.
    Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • By a rough count, Flagg played in approximately six different lineups, including some small-ball looks with Dwight Powell at center.
    Lawrence Dow, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Oct. 2025
  • While there is acknowledgement that smaller teams, such as Norway’s Valarenga, could be on the receiving end of heavy defeats with the shift in format, the benefits of seeing top seeds clash early in the competition mean more overall interest.
    Megan Feringa, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • But those plans can be quite narrow and ineffective for addressing flood damage.
    Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
  • Wide, shallow pans allow alcohol to evaporate more quickly than deep, narrow ones.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 5 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • The brief Bagley lead was filed on behalf of Mathew Shurka, an LGBT advocate who testified in support of Colorado’s law while it was being debated.
    Jack Birle, The Washington Examiner, 7 Oct. 2025
  • And in what could be even better news—for everyone other than Matthews, anyway—his reign atop the earnings ranking is likely to be brief.
    Brett Knight, Forbes.com, 7 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • Skeet is a diminutive figure with short, gray hair, and a round face with prominent cheeks.
    Mitch Moxley, Rolling Stone, 27 Sep. 2025
  • Thankfully, most garages will accommodate both, as these are diminutive vehicles when compared to any American iron of the era.
    Robert Ross, Robb Report, 26 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • However, this list is slightly different.
    Tim Spiers, New York Times, 7 Oct. 2025
  • While each stage of the perimenopausal, menopausal and postmenopausal journey has certain hallmarks, each woman will experience each slightly differently.
    Katherine Speller, Flow Space, 7 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • For decades, astronomers have searched the skies for a missing population of doomed stars — the massive red supergiants that theory predicts should end their lives in powerful stellar explosions, but somehow rarely seem to.
    Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 8 Oct. 2025
  • While Ross was prolific, his paintings were intended for teaching instead of selling, and therefore rarely go on the market.
    Rachel Treisman, NPR, 8 Oct. 2025
Noun
  • This handsome design can work in just about any room in your home and comes equipped with a little bit of drawer storage to discreetly hide any junk.
    Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 3 Oct. 2025
  • But Maura never overdoes the feisty granny bit.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 3 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Little.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/little. Accessed 10 Oct. 2025.

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