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little 1 of 3

adjective

ˈli-tᵊl How to pronounce little (audio)
Definition of littlenext
1
as in short
having relatively little height there was a little hedge separating the two lawns

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in small
lacking importance there were just a few little details left to take care of

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in narrow
not broad or open in views or opinions little-minded people who dislike the fact that human society is always progressing

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in brief
not lasting for a considerable time let's take a little pause to relax

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in diminutive
of a size that is less than average the petting zoo has a little horse in addition to all of the goats and sheep

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

little

2 of 3

adverb

1
as in slightly
in a very small quantity or degree we had little more than we needed to survive in the wilderness

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in rarely
not often he's been studying very little for the bar exam

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

little

3 of 3

noun

as in bit
a very small amount there's just a little of the pie left

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
International aid was siphoned off, with little oversight, by government officials and their cronies. — Robin Wright, New Yorker, 11 Sep. 2026 For people living near some of those bases with delays, the Pentagon's explanation offers little comfort. — Austin Fast, USA Today, 11 Sep. 2026
Adverb
Beyond those two near-misses, and a huge late chance for Bryan Mbeumo, United created little though, and can only apportion so much blame for the loss to bad luck. — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 14 Sep. 2026 In the generation of America’s founders, these grim realities were little changed. — John Curtis, Washington Post, 14 Sep. 2026
Noun
Meanwhile, five pools including one just for littles—as well as complimentary non-motorized water sports—afford plenty of opportunities to stay refreshed. — Gina Kramer, USA Today, 25 July 2026 Harsher penalties do little to deter crime or prevent recidivism among young people. — Elizabeth Bruenig, The Atlantic, 10 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for little
Recent Examples of Synonyms for little
  1. short
  2. small
  3. narrow
  4. brief
  5. diminutive
  6. slightly
  7. rarely
  8. bit
Adjective
  • The Big Ten enters this week largely unscathed after Week 1, with 15 of its teams winning in regulation, another needing assistance from clock operators and two falling considerably short.
    — Scott Dochterman, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The Late Show won for writing, short form comedy, picture editing, technical direction and camerawork, and lighting design — all a fond farewell to the show.
    — Bethy Squires, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of short
Adjective
  • Rooms This is a big hotel, with 177 rooms and suites that range in size and shape from the smallest superior rooms to the impressive top-floor penthouse.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Sep. 2026
  • Newsom, in his veto message at the time, cited concerns about stifling innovation and said smaller AI models, which would have been exempt from the law, could also be dangerous.
    — Dakota Smith, Los Angeles Times, 18 Sep. 2026
Definition of small
Adjective
  • Louisville and Boise State don’t move much after narrow losses to top-10 teams.
    — Chris Vannini, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • The extremely short, picometer-scale wavelength of nuclear-decay neutrinos makes the possible collective emission cone extraordinarily narrow.
    — Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of narrow
Adjective
  • The Sacramento County District Attorney’s Office declined to file charges, and Choudri returned to the railway agency after a brief leave of absence.
    — Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Parton, known as the Queen of Country music, died after a brief battle with cancer.
    — Carly Thomas, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of brief
Adjective
  • Its diminutive form belies its excellent performance, capturing bright, sharp 4K video and incredibly clear sound.
    — Will Greenwald, PC Magazine, 13 Sep. 2026
  • To put its diminutive size into perspective, the 2023 Ford Expedition is significantly longer.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of diminutive
Adverb
  • A couple miles away, Zebulon draws slightly larger crowds — their venue can hold up to 300 — but their mission is similar.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026
  • And the free version, the open-source version, the unregulated version, is always going to be improving slightly behind the expensive, fancy version.
    — Tyler Foggatt, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of slightly
Adverb
  • Kingsbury’s offense rarely moved receivers around or put skill position players in motion; Blough’s will do both on a high percentage of snaps.
    — Barry Svrluga, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • Under the original agreement, the government would only receive three million shares if Tesla failed — a counterintuitive arrangement, since public stakes in struggling companies rarely benefit taxpayers.
    — Mariana Mazzucato, Fortune, 8 Sep. 2026
Definition of rarely
Noun
  • The 3-1 margin of victory could have been wider had City not at times missed that final bit of polish at Joie Stadium.
    — Katie Whyatt, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
  • The Prince and Princess of Wales have been largely out of the spotlight recently, spending the remaining bits of the summer with their three children before school begins for each.
    — Rachel Burchfield, InStyle, 6 Sep. 2026
Definition of bit

Phrases Containing little

Browse Nearby Words

litters
little
little bitty
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Little.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/little. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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