little 1 of 3

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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

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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
The musical features a scene about little Sarah making her joke about Jeffrey’s death and no one laughing. Stephen Rodrick, Rolling Stone, 18 May 2025 The film around him displays similarly little interest in forcing the matter, even after Mike is released from jail — now sober for seven months — and lands a job as a cook at a low-rent hotel on the outskirts of town. David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 17 May 2025
Adverb
Wage growth is expected to remain little changed from the previous report, again growing at 0.3 percent clip on a three-month rolling average. Andrew Ross Sorkin, New York Times, 2 May 2025 Shares of the firm were little changed at 11:07 a.m. in New York, and are up 32% this year. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 1 May 2025
Noun
Even Williams’ performance does little to flesh her out. Angie Han, HollywoodReporter, 27 Mar. 2025 Never mind that precious little of California’s water supply originates in a southern Oregon watershed. Tom Philp, The Mercury News, 11 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for little
Recent Examples of Synonyms for little
Adjective
  • The latter is the name of a short projection show at Disney California Adventure (DCA).
    Eve Chen, USA Today, 17 May 2025
  • This surpasses the first two Child IRA scenarios but falls short in comparison to the third Child IRA scenario, which yields either $15.9 million or $67.9 million.
    Chris Carosa, Forbes.com, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • To meet rising demand, companies sprang up and began churning out rides – smaller versions for traveling carnivals and larger ones for town squares and amusement parks.
    Christopher Cann, USA Today, 26 May 2025
  • Ellie finds a small fishing boat to take her across the water to the aquarium.
    Samantha Stutsman, People.com, 26 May 2025
Adjective
  • The Horned Frogs gave up two late runs in a narrow 2-1 loss to Arizona in the championship game of the Big 12 Tournament on Saturday night at Globe Life Field.
    Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 25 May 2025
  • The Formula 1 season moves to its most iconic venue this weekend, with the eighth round of the championship taking place around the narrow streets of Monaco.
    Dan Cancian, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • India is emerging after a brief conflict with Pakistan, with a ceasefire thankfully appearing to hold for now.
    Vasuki Shastry, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
  • Just a brief walk from the preserve’s entrance, this unique grotto reveals a stunning 50-foot waterfall cascading into a jade-green pool.
    Symiah Dorsey, Southern Living, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • While cultivated throughout Germany and in limited quantities throughout continental Europe, the diminutive white grape, often compared to grüner veltliner or an unoaked chardonnay, rarely gets much attention.
    Anna Lee Iijima, Chicago Tribune, 13 May 2025
  • That led to a song-and-dance number in which Brunson honored other diminutive celebrities, like the gymnast Simone Biles and the rapper Kendrick Lamar, as well as the pop star Sabrina Carpenter, who joined her in a cameo appearance.
    Dave Itzkoff, New York Times, 4 May 2025
Adverb
  • The result is partial solutions that rarely hold under pressure.
    Wyles Daniel, USA Today, 17 May 2025
  • With the onset of the warmer season, one fruiting shrub that is often sought yet rarely achieved successfully in the Kansas City area may once again be finding its way onto the wish list of prospective gardeners.
    Anthony Reardon, Kansas City Star, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • Don't load it up with more than 8 pounds of gear though, and avoid anything with pointy bits, as there's no padding here.
    Scott Gilbertson, Wired News, 25 May 2025
  • People were impressed … and a little bit terrified.
    TJ Macias, Kansas City Star, 24 May 2025
Adjective
  • These tiny crystals form in magma and absorb trace amounts of uranium, which decays over time into lead.
    Ella Jeffries, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 May 2025
  • During the war, the U.S. military printed more than a million tiny paperback books for men to carry into battle, called Armed Services Editions.
    Martha Hall Kelly, People.com, 16 May 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Little.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/little. Accessed 29 May. 2025.

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