1
as in elf
an imaginary being usually having a small human form and magical powers
Snow White and the seven dwarfs
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in diminutive
something (such as an animal) much smaller than others of its kind
Shetland ponies are the dwarfs of the horse world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in dwarfish
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of dwarf
Christopher Karwin, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
Until then, the two dwarf galaxy siblings will stick together, even if the big brother does continue to pick on the little one.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 7 June 2026
Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
The price dwarfs even some of the largest recent stadium projects.
—Matt Baker, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 11 May 2026
This semi-dwarf agapanthus sparkles with clusters of violet-blue flowers atop sturdy stems that make excellent cuttings.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dwarf
Noun
Clues from smaller galaxies To help resolve this mystery, researchers also study much smaller systems, known as dwarf galaxies, which orbit the Milky Way.
—Christopher Karwin, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
Until then, the two dwarf galaxy siblings will stick together, even if the big brother does continue to pick on the little one.
—Keith Cooper, Space.com, 7 June 2026
Verb
Overall, Kansas City in 2025 logged 139 homicides, a number that dwarfs the major cities of the World Cup teams that have chosen Kansas City as their home base.
—Kansas City Star, 11 June 2026
The price dwarfs even some of the largest recent stadium projects.
—Matt Baker, New York Times, 11 June 2026
Adjective
Semi-dwarf varieties grow to between 3 and 8 feet tall, while giant sunflowers grow at least 8 feet tall.
—Alexandra Jones, The Spruce, 11 May 2026
This semi-dwarf agapanthus sparkles with clusters of violet-blue flowers atop sturdy stems that make excellent cuttings.
—Kim Toscano, Southern Living, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dwarf
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dwarf
Noun
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The new version will still have the traditional arrow counting down the days to the holiday but also will include moving elves who are helping prepare things for Christmas.—
Sal Pizarro,
Mercury News,
30 May 2026
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There’s also caviar and cookies and Christmas trees and Housewives and Bravolebrities, all surrounded by twink elves in Christmas G-strings.—
Brian Moylan,
Vulture,
4 May 2026
Noun
-
The more common nickname, El Mencho, is said to be a diminutive of his first name, Nemesio.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Another gender-neutral name that had a burst of popularity in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Jamie was a go-to for girls or a diminutive of James for boys.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Despite the tragicomic instability and the rotating cast of nobodies temporarily tasked with running the country, when seen in macroeconomic terms, Peru appears to be doing just fine, thank you.—
Daniel Alarcón,
New Yorker,
4 June 2026
-
Unlike some of his more strapping forebears (think Liam Neeson, Kevin Costner, or Aaron Eckhart), Odenkirk specializes in nobodies and normals: people one would not expect to be killing machines.—
Bilge Ebiri,
Vulture,
16 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The filing, submitted in the San Diego County Superior Court, seeks a judge’s order to condemn and destroy the embargoed kratom products, halt ongoing unlawful manufacturing and impose civil penalties.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
-
The findings indicate that bird-watching and similar hobbies may support overall brain health, though researchers stop short of saying the activity definitively halts cognitive decline.—
Hanna Wickes,
Kansas City Star,
18 June 2026
Noun
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The exhibition centers on a film created with generative AI trained on an archive that includes fairy folklore and the Victorian mania for invention.—
Eugenie Brinkema,
ARTnews.com,
14 June 2026
-
Her glam team complemented the off-the-shoulder design with ethereal fairy makeup, including rosy pink blush and shimmering eyeshadow.—
Staff Author,
InStyle,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
Back in May, a mom warned others in a local Facebook group that her daughter’s friend’s squishy toy in the shape of a dumpling exploded after it was left in the car.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
16 June 2026
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Enervated cuteness and tryhard sincerity define a whole new wave of musicians, from Pittsburgh rockers feeble little horse to cringe-pop upcycler Worldpeace DMT to SoundCloud producer MASSI, whose songs spill with the tiny adorable detail of a toy train set.—
Kieran Press-Reynolds,
Pitchfork,
15 June 2026
Noun
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Consider a dashboard that shows applications, including keys and libraries; network traffic protocols and ciphers; hardware, such as HSMs and TPMs; and third-party dependencies, including cryptographic or software bills of materials.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
26 May 2026
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As zonky cross-generational ciphers go, the group’s debut, Strictly 4 the Scythe, is no Hypnotize Camp Posse, the amalgam of Three 6 Mafia and a grip of artists signed to their Hypnotize Minds label in the early 2000s.—
Dylan Green,
Pitchfork,
12 Mar. 2026
Verb
-
But suppressing undesirable emotions is not only impossible but also not all that helpful.—
Dr. Deepika Chopra,
Flow Space,
16 June 2026
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Among the combinations studied, the team found that electron leakage could be suppressed at dimensions below 4 nanometers, suggesting future transistors may be scaled even further than current technologies allow.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dwarf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dwarf. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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