1
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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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
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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
Robert Lea, Space.com, 12 Sep. 2025
The team also discovered two more new species of dwarf gecko: Lygodactylus arnei and Lygodactylus andavambato.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2025
Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Sep. 2025
More than ten acres of dwarf variety apple trees.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 22 Sep. 2025
David Brennan, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2025
Authorities released a photo showing the towering waterfront home dwarfed by flames and clouds of black smoke.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dwarf
Noun
Astronomers hunt these rogue black holes in dwarf galaxies because, when compared to large galaxies, their smaller masses and simpler evolutionary history preserve more clues about the early growth of black holes.
—Robert Lea, Space.com, 12 Sep. 2025
The team also discovered two more new species of dwarf gecko: Lygodactylus arnei and Lygodactylus andavambato.
—Aspen Pflughoeft, Miami Herald, 4 Aug. 2025
Verb
While some amaranth varieties, like the colorful ‘Burgundy Amaranth,’ are too tall for most planters, dwarf amaranths like ‘Globe Amaranth’ or ‘Pygmy’s Torch’ are the perfect size for pots.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Sep. 2025
More than ten acres of dwarf variety apple trees.
—Cheryl V. Jackson, IndyStar, 22 Sep. 2025
Adjective
The intensity of the war in Ukraine dwarfs those numbers.
—David Brennan, ABC News, 8 Oct. 2025
Authorities released a photo showing the towering waterfront home dwarfed by flames and clouds of black smoke.
—Michael Ruiz, FOXNews.com, 6 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dwarf
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dwarf
Noun
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The hanging fireplace, seemingly lit by house elves, pairs nicely with the gratis bottles of spirits and Chilean wine.—
Laura Dannen Redman,
Robb Report,
16 Oct. 2025
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And all these dwarves and elves and humans go, ‘What?—
Elisabeth Garber-Paul,
Rolling Stone,
2 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Meaning: The name Indie can be a diminutive of the names India (country southern Asia) or Indiana (state in midwestern U.S.).—
Ryan Brennan,
Kansas City Star,
4 Feb. 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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Professional athletes, however, aren’t nobodies.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
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More importantly, the narrative explores both sides of the conflict from the POV of grunts and 'nobodies' trying to navigate the post-Civil War state of the galaxy before the fighting stops.—
Fran Ruiz,
Space.com,
4 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Dispute over bodies of deceased hostages The new ceasefire took effect on October 10, halting two years of war, but the Israeli government and Hamas have been accusing each other of violations of the ceasefire for days.—
Alexander Cornwell,
USA Today,
20 Oct. 2025
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When and if auto plants might be forced to halt operations is not clear.—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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And, that there was a goblin, squatting in my skull, rattling a metal pail full of bolts and hissing failure, rot, spoil.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
15 Oct. 2025
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Jack-o-lanterns, ghouls and goblins are around every corner, but the scariest creatures of all might be thousands of feet below the ocean’s surface.—
Irene Wright,
Miami Herald,
13 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The movie, which posits an impending nuclear strike on a major American city, is a flimsy yet high-minded piece of doomsday schlock, largely populated by ciphers in suits and drained of the pulp pleasures that schlock, at its best, can afford.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
14 Oct. 2025
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Such ciphers are easy to crack using techniques such as checking letter frequency and identifying common patterns.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The Secret Commonwealth is the condemnation of a world where imagination—not making things up, but a way of seeing, understanding, feeling the world—is suppressed by the dual forces of cold rationality and religious fundamentalisms that breed authoritarianism.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Oct. 2025
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That power is often used to unfairly influence elections through massive campaign donations, to interfere with independent journalism by buying media outlets, and to suppress competition in markets.—
Scott Ellis,
Time,
17 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Shine your fairy dust up there, girlfriend.—
Brendan Morrow,
USA Today,
12 Oct. 2025
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Shine your fairy dust up there, girlfriend.—
Erin Clack,
PEOPLE,
11 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dwarf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dwarf. Accessed 21 Oct. 2025.
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