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
Harrigan says billions of dollars are moving with little to no oversight. Alan Wooten | The Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 3 May 2025 There’s little sugarcoating, and straightforwardness is his default mode. Sahadev Sharma, New York Times, 3 May 2025
Adverb
Inflation will likely worsen in the United States, rising to about 3% by the end of this year, while it will be little changed in China, the IMF forecast. Christopher Rugaber, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025 Despite the war's unprecedented impact, with as many as 150,000 people dead, and almost a third of the country's pre-war population displaced, there has been little concerted international action to address the crisis. Emmanuel Akinwotu, NPR, 15 Apr. 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
  • Now Feeling Crunch of Production Contraction The film marks the feature directorial debut of Italian-German filmmaker Nora Jaenicke, who has previously earned acclaim for her short films.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 16 May 2025
Adjective
  • Instead, Atkinson took up golf for the first time and renewed his connection to scientific research, not the least of which was how a small white ball repeatedly avoids a hole in the ground.
    Barbara Bry, San Diego Union-Tribune, 14 May 2025
  • The Court of International Trade previously rejected the small businesses' request to temporarily pause the tariffs while their lawsuit went forward, but then quickly scheduled Tuesday’s court hearing to decide whether to rule against the tariffs or impose a longer-term pause.
    Dietrich Knauth, USA Today, 14 May 2025
Adjective
  • During the trial, Amélie testified that Depardieu grabbed her hips in a narrow corridor and started touching her, pointing to her buttocks, hip, and pubic area.
    Jon Blistein, Rolling Stone, 13 May 2025
  • Sherrill has held a consistent yet narrow lead in recent surveys.
    Andrew Stanton, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 May 2025
Adjective
  • Based on specs and my brief time with the phone, this is the biggest drawback.
    Iyaz Akhtar, PC Magazine, 13 May 2025
  • Even a brief moment of genuine connection, such as listening without judgment or offering warmth and presence, can encourage a survivor to finally speak.
    Mark Travers, Forbes.com, 12 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
  • Some SLs, purchased and parked by their Palm Springs owners and rarely driven during their lifetimes, remain in almost as-new condition, and those, as well as low-mileage concours creampuffs, can top $150,000.
    Robert Ross, Robb Report, 16 May 2025
Noun
  • Inflation eased to a four-year low Your wallet may feel a tiny bit of ease.
    Rebecca Morin, USA Today, 14 May 2025
  • That promo bit was preceded by a series of surprise mini-concerts at other bars in Boston and Nashville, as well as a pop-in at Nashville’s Santa’s Pub with Noah Kahan for a short dual set and reconstruction the pop-up pub at the Coachella Festival.
    Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 13 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 20 May. 2025.

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