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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
So how will Stevie, who shares a bedroom with her obnoxious little brother, Elliot (Elias Janssen), keep the family together? Owen Gleiberman, Variety, 9 Nov. 2025 Especially at the sport’s mid and lower tiers, athletes receive little compensation with few prospects for a lucrative pro career. Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 9 Nov. 2025
Adverb
The Common Crawl Foundation is little known outside of Silicon Valley. Alex Reisner, The Atlantic, 4 Nov. 2025 While Nexperia is little known outside the industry, its site says the company has more than 6,000 products qualified for use in automobiles, and shipments of 110 billion of its products annually. Chris Isidore, CNN Money, 19 Oct. 2025
Noun
While the regulator polices insider trading and market manipulation, companies are allowed to publish the bare minimum in public reporting, which does little to reassure skeptical investors. Wael Mahdi, semafor.com, 13 Aug. 2025 The documents Gabbard has released do little to suggest wrongdoing by the intelligence community in seeking to investigate Russia’s efforts to influence the 2016 contest. Brett Samuels, The Hill, 5 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for little
Recent Examples of Synonyms for little
Adjective
  • Pierre was short, with a white beard and flamboyant wild hair.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • These bacteria ferment or break down prebiotics, releasing compounds called short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs).
    Jillian Kubala, Health, 6 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • At a time when the Mavericks need as much good will, or PR, as possible, filing a lawsuit against the Dallas Stars is petty, small and mean.
    Fort Worth Star-Telegram, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Nov. 2025
  • The Senate vote to temporarily reopen the government sparked intense controversy within the Democratic Party, as a small group of its senators joined Republicans in backing a deal that did not guarantee the extension of Affordable Care Act (ACA) tax credits, a key Democratic priority.
    Deputy News Editor, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • During this time frame, a narrow, intense lake-effect snow band, only about 10 miles wide, will be capable of thunder, wind gusts near 35 mph and near-zero visibility at its peak.
    Briana Waxman, CNN Money, 10 Nov. 2025
  • The climb is infamous for its heart-pumping switchbacks and vertiginous jaunt along a narrow sliver of crag.
    Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 9 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • The peace declaration included a commitment to withdraw heavy weapons from the border, de-mining efforts, and to de-escalate tensions that erupted into the brief but deadly border conflict.
    Helen Regan, CNN Money, 11 Nov. 2025
  • An earlier, brief ceasefire between Pakistan and the TTP, brokered by Kabul in 2022, collapsed later after the group accused Islamabad of violating it.
    NPR, NPR, 11 Nov. 2025
Adjective
  • Spanning 828 square feet, the diminutive house stands a block and a half from Long Branch Beach.
    Katie Schultz, Architectural Digest, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Tyrannosaurus rex did, in fact, have a diminutive relative in North America.
    Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 30 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • The lighthearted, yet slightly awkward moment stood out as a rarity among a season of tense uncertainty for McDaniel and the Dolphins, who sit at 3-7 on the year with increasingly long odds to make the playoffs.
    Sean Neumann, PEOPLE, 11 Nov. 2025
  • They’re considered a nut but are actually fruits, and technically behave more like tubers, offering the starchy, meaty, slightly sweet flesh almost between a sweet potato and chickpea.
    Todd Plummer, Vogue, 11 Nov. 2025
Adverb
  • Money was rarely spent, and trades were hard to come by.
    James Boyd, New York Times, 5 Nov. 2025
  • The Danish drugmaker's unsolicited bid is rarely seen in the industry, and Pfizer certainly wasn't happy about it.
    Annika Kim Constantino,Bertha Coombs, CNBC, 5 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • Like so many other bits of Times coverage, the whole of the piece is structured as an orchestrated encounter.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Lyon’s magnetism touches the entire cast, but her bits with both Killam’s Boone and Chenoweth’s Tammy really leap off the screen.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 7 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Little.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/little. Accessed 15 Nov. 2025.

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