1
as in diminutive
a living thing much smaller than others of its kind
Shetland ponies are the dwarfs of the horse world
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in elf
an imaginary being usually having a small human form and magical powers
Snow White and the seven dwarfs
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3
as in nobody
a person of no importance or influence
it would be ridiculous to compare the two sculptors—one's a giant of the art world and the other's a dwarf
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in to halt
to hold back the normal growth of
shrubs dwarfed by the lack of water
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as in dwarfish
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of dwarf
Devan Coggan, EW.com, 13 Oct. 2022
Other new characters include Disa, the first female dwarf ever shown in the Lord of the Rings series.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2022
Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Most automakers also dwarf Uber but have limited abilities and experience in ride-hail.
—Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Lauren Owens Lambert/Reuters/File Of particular interest to him has been the dwarf mistletoe plant, which has wreaked havoc on the island’s white spruce trees.
—Jennifer Wolcott, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dwarf
Noun
Tell me a little bit about the technical side of filming a dwarf and an elf together.
—Devan Coggan, EW.com, 13 Oct. 2022
Other new characters include Disa, the first female dwarf ever shown in the Lord of the Rings series.
—Ethan Millman, Rolling Stone, 22 July 2022
Verb
The Gamecocks were tested by Clark’s dazzling displays, drawing viewership ratings that dwarfed even 2023’s high standards.
—Chantel Jennings, New York Times, 27 Mar. 2025
Most automakers also dwarf Uber but have limited abilities and experience in ride-hail.
—Brad Templeton, Forbes.com, 1 May 2025
Adjective
The original 1937 film, based on the famous fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, follows the story of a princess named Snow White, who flees into the forest to escape her evil stepmother and befriends seven dwarf miners: Sleepy, Dopey, Doc, Sneezy, Grumpy, Bashful, and Happy.
—Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 21 Mar. 2025
Lauren Owens Lambert/Reuters/File Of particular interest to him has been the dwarf mistletoe plant, which has wreaked havoc on the island’s white spruce trees.
—Jennifer Wolcott, The Christian Science Monitor, 19 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dwarf
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dwarf
Noun
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For example, Katie is a diminutive of Katherine and Lisa is a diminutive of Elizabeth.—
Ryan Brennan,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
13 Jan. 2025
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Residing on hillside slopes and gently rolling valleys surrounding the stately medieval village of Montalcino, vineyards in the Brunello di Montalcino DOCG are home to a clone of Sangiovese known locally as Brunello, which is a diminutive of the Italian word for brown.—
Mike DeSimone and Jeff Jenssen,
Robb Report,
3 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Meanwhile, as friendships across the kingdoms are strained by the ripple effects of the Dark Lord’s actions, the forces of good — elves, dwarves, men, Harfoots and a wizard named Gandalf (Weyman) — try to valiantly hold on to what matters to them most of all: each other.—
Destiny Jackson,
Deadline,
8 May 2025
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Photograph: Ying Tang/Getty Images While children are told stories about elves and reindeer, the truth is that hundreds of thousands of people work year-round to make sure Christmas feels magical.—
Zeyi Yang,
Wired News,
28 Apr. 2025
Noun
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And maybe that’s a metaphor for the way a lot of middle-class nobodies feel.—
Abigail Lee,
Variety,
13 May 2025
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While some men are jumping on board, the most popular of these creators—which range from nobodies doing voiceovers to far-right provocateurs like Candance Owens and Megyn Kelly—are women speaking to other women.—
Stephanie McNeal,
Glamour,
14 Mar. 2025
Verb
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After Trump halted the refugee program, freezing funding for processing and resettlement aid, a group of refugees and resettlement agencies filed a federal lawsuit challenging shutdown.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
18 May 2025
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Thursday, his group was halted for a little while on the 14th hole because a turtle had damaged a bunker and the grounds crew needed a minute to rake it back to perfection.—
Jordan Kaye,
Charlotte Observer,
16 May 2025
Noun
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Pour the sauce over and gently toss with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the shrimp and avocado are thoroughly coated.—
Janelle Davis,
CNN,
7 Feb. 2023
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Brine shrimp are a critical food source for the aquaculture industry.—
Evan Bush,
NBC News,
21 Jan. 2023
Noun
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If Belinda’s lightning-fast transformation is a cipher for Mike White’s thoughts on the corrosive power of money, then perhaps Laurie’s emotional speech comes closest to explaining how a good life could be oriented.—
Amanda Whiting,
Vulture,
7 Apr. 2025
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We’re used to seeing movie presidents who are stalwart ciphers, but Harrison Ford plays Ross like Ronald Reagan with anger-management issues.—
Owen Gleiberman,
Variety,
12 Feb. 2025
Verb
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Orwell authored 1984, a bleak vision of the future where an authoritarian regime weaponizes language to suppress independent thought and rewrite history.—
Jason Snyder,
Forbes.com,
14 May 2025
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However, consistent, long-term stress can wear down your immune system, exposing you to inflammation and suppressing your body's response to infections.2 UTIs occur when the urinary tract, including the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra, is infected.—
Brittany Dube,
Health,
13 May 2025
Noun
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The Frontierland concept is still present, complete with a pony ranch and a stagecoach, as is a haunted house and a land themed to miniatures, a concept that would ultimately become the Storybook Land Canal Boats.—
Todd Martens,
Los Angeles Times,
13 May 2025
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Half-prank, half-pastiche and 100% punk rock, the film’s mishmash aesthetics are due to the many artists who volunteered to build out Drew’s gender-bending Gotham City by any means necessary, from animation to stop-motion to miniatures.—
Amy Nicholson,
Twin Cities,
1 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dwarf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dwarf. Accessed 20 May. 2025.
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