1
as in little
of a size that is less than average a small cat who never weighed more than five pounds

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
3
4

Try This Instead

For
Try This
a small amount
a tiny amount
an insignificant amount
a minimal amount
a trivial amount
a modest amount
a small town
a quaint town
a rural town
a little town
a tiny town
a rustic town
small changes
minor changes
subtle changes
slight changes
incremental changes
trivial changes
small pieces
minuscule pieces
manageable pieces
little pieces
fine pieces

Synonym Chooser

How is the word small distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of small are diminutive, little, miniature, minute, and tiny. While all these words mean "noticeably below average in size," small and little are often interchangeable, but small applies more to relative size determined by capacity, value, number.

a relatively small backyard

In what contexts can diminutive take the place of small?

In some situations, the words diminutive and small are roughly equivalent. However, diminutive implies abnormal smallness.

diminutive bonsai plants

When can little be used instead of small?

The meanings of little and small largely overlap; however, little is more absolute in implication often carrying the idea of petiteness, pettiness, insignificance, or immaturity.

your pathetic little smile

When could miniature be used to replace small?

The words miniature and small can be used in similar contexts, but miniature applies to an exactly proportioned reproduction on a very small scale.

a dollhouse with miniature furnishings

When is it sensible to use minute instead of small?

The words minute and small are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, minute implies extreme smallness.

a minute amount of caffeine in the soda

How are the words tiny and minute related as synonyms of small?

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 small This creates an echo chamber where a small number of skills get honed endlessly and everything else gets ignored. Aron Solomon, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025 However, a more common result is a process called electromagnetic dissociation which can see a small number of protons stripped off a lead ion with the removal of three protons effectively turning lead with its 82 protons into gold with its 79. Tim Treadgold, Forbes.com, 13 May 2025 But others have argued that their claims focused on a relatively small number of farm attacks and don’t line up with data, and the South African government has disputed Trump’s comments. Sally Krutzig, Idaho Statesman, 13 May 2025 Although set in the small city, the movie was reportedly filmed in several locations in Louisiana. Taylor Ardrey, USA Today, 2 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for small
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small
Adjective
  • When Carter was little, his mother always included him in her life, as Anderson told PEOPLE in 2016.
    Julie Tremaine, People.com, 18 May 2025
  • Fortunately, the fan who was hit showed little to none sign that anything unusual had happened.
    Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 May 2025
Adjective
  • Signs that frozen chicken has gone bad include freezer burn, an off smell or texture, and discoloration.
    Katie Rosenhouse, Southern Living, 10 May 2025
  • Winston will be an example of an off the field leader Dart can learn from, which is likely the reason for Winston earning a two-year contract compared to Wilson’s one-year deal.
    Tyler Small, Forbes.com, 28 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • In some cases, lawyers said students had their legal statuses altered for minor traffic violations, such as unpaid parking tickets.
    Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 16 May 2025
  • Nina and Jim are forced to work overtime to re-center key story components that get lost amid more minor twists and turns.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 15 May 2025
Adjective
  • As a result, defendants in Colorado’s municipal courts can face much longer sentences than those in state court for the same petty offenses, The Denver Post previously found.
    Sam Tabachnik, Denver Post, 16 May 2025
  • Each encounter brings four options for how to beat that opponent, a prime opportunity to make petty jokes.
    Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • While cultivated throughout Germany and in limited quantities throughout continental Europe, the diminutive white grape, often compared to grüner veltliner or an unoaked chardonnay, rarely gets much attention.
    Anna Lee Iijima, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2025
  • That led to a song-and-dance number in which Brunson honored other diminutive celebrities, like the gymnast Simone Biles and the rapper Kendrick Lamar, as well as the pop star Sabrina Carpenter, who joined her in a cameo appearance.
    Dave Itzkoff, New York Times, 4 May 2025
Adjective
  • German filmmaker Petzold comes to Cannes for the first time with a minor-key new drama, which burrows into the psyche despite its slim running time and almost perverse refusal to explain itself or the shapes its narrative takes.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
  • Republicans hold a slim majority in the House and have just a few votes to spare to advance the measure, including on the Budget Committee.
    Lisa Mascaro, Los Angeles Times, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • President Donald Trump has enjoyed a slight uptick in favorability, according to a series of mid-May polls compiled by political analyst and statistician Nate Silver.
    Hugh Cameron, MSNBC Newsweek, 19 May 2025
  • Meanwhile, a DeepMind researcher discussed adversarial machine learning, a phenomenon where slight manipulations to input data can drastically alter an AI’s output.
    Korok Ray, Forbes.com, 19 May 2025
Adjective
  • It could not be fenced off and become a parochial one now.
    Adam Gopnik, New Yorker, 21 Apr. 2025
  • Investors might want to be less parochial just as political policy becomes increasingly so.
    Ron Insana, CNBC, 7 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Small.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small. Accessed 23 May. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on small

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!