miniature 1 of 2

Definition of miniaturenext

miniature

2 of 2

noun

as in reproduction
an exact representation of something in greatly reduced size a diorama filled with miniatures of town buildings as they looked in the 19th century

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word miniature distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of miniature are diminutive, little, minute, small, and tiny. While all these words mean "noticeably below average in size," miniature applies to an exactly proportioned reproduction on a very small scale.

a dollhouse with miniature furnishings

When might diminutive be a better fit than miniature?

Although the words diminutive and miniature have much in common, diminutive implies abnormal smallness.

diminutive bonsai plants

When can little be used instead of miniature?

The synonyms little and miniature are sometimes interchangeable, but little is more absolute in implication often carrying the idea of petiteness, pettiness, insignificance, or immaturity.

your pathetic little smile

In what contexts can minute take the place of miniature?

The words minute and miniature can be used in similar contexts, but minute implies extreme smallness.

a minute amount of caffeine in the soda

How do small and little relate to one another, in the sense of miniature?

Both small and little are often interchangeable, but small applies more to relative size determined by capacity, value, number.

a relatively small backyard

How are the words tiny and minute related as synonyms of miniature?

Tiny is an informal equivalent to minute.

tiny cracks formed in the painting

How is the word miniature distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of miniature are diminutive, little, minute, small, and tiny. While all these words mean "noticeably below average in size," miniature applies to an exactly proportioned reproduction on a very small scale.

a dollhouse with miniature furnishings

When might diminutive be a better fit than miniature?

Although the words diminutive and miniature have much in common, diminutive implies abnormal smallness.

diminutive bonsai plants

When can little be used instead of miniature?

The synonyms little and miniature are sometimes interchangeable, but little is more absolute in implication often carrying the idea of petiteness, pettiness, insignificance, or immaturity.

your pathetic little smile

In what contexts can minute take the place of miniature?

The words minute and miniature can be used in similar contexts, but minute implies extreme smallness.

a minute amount of caffeine in the soda

How do small and little relate to one another, in the sense of miniature?

Both small and little are often interchangeable, but small applies more to relative size determined by capacity, value, number.

a relatively small backyard

How are the words tiny and minute related as synonyms of miniature?

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 miniature
Adjective
Not accidentally with a swollen or exploding battery, but intentionally with a miniature cigarette lighter built into the top. Eric Zeman, PC Magazine, 5 Mar. 2026 For example, the 1969 4 in 1s (how they’re officially labeled by PSA) are miniature versions of the front of the four base cards in the 1969 baseball set on one normal-sized card. Michael Salfino, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
Noun
The credits sequence alone, in which Bateman karate chops in slow motion to The Fifth Dimension, is an Emmy reel in miniature. Alison Herman, Variety, 1 Mar. 2026 These bags, though miniature in size, are only one piece of a massive trend. Amanda Wallace, The Providence Journal, 13 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for miniature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miniature
Adjective
  • These tiny emitters resemble miniature ski jumps that launch beams of light into free space.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Unlike crustaceans, insects developed a system of oxygen intake through tiny holes in their bodies.
    Andrew Coletti, Popular Science, 12 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Several fireplaces date back to Colcord’s time, while others, such as the living room hearth, were sourced from a London maker specializing in vintage reproductions.
    Paige Reddinger, Robb Report, 7 Mar. 2026
  • So many strategies for reproduction and sexuality and gender roles in a species.
    Luke Harold, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • With no functional magnetosphere, Mars’ surface radiation is nearly as intense as in deep space, and the paper-thin atmosphere provides little protection from even minuscule meteorites.
    Big Think, Big Think, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Okawara sculpted Beyoncé's nails into a long almond shape with a neutral base color, then detailed each nail with its own minuscule design.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 17 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • The permanent exhibit includes a full-scale replica of the Nihonbashi Bridge, an arching wooden structure that once joined the five roads to Edo at the gate to the capital.
    Jessica Kozuka, Travel + Leisure, 13 Mar. 2026
  • The replica sweaters sold out quickly following the tournament because Nike, which handles the manufacturing of hockey merchandise for Team USA, apparently underestimated the demand that would be fueled by the Americans’ upset of Canada in the gold medal game.
    Jesse Granger, New York Times, 12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Such lasers could allow researchers to track chemical reactions in real time, detect microscopic defects in nanoelectronics, and study materials with much higher resolution than before.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 12 Mar. 2026
  • This allows it to get sucked right into all the microscopic crevices and pores of the surface, by the vacuum created by the seal.
    Ben Coxworth March 11, New Atlas, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • Three of them stayed together, but the fourth couldn’t resist Bergeron’s imitation of a hen turkey calling and branched off, coming within 20 yards of the blind.
    Steve Waters, Miami Herald, 13 Mar. 2026
  • Beautiful people are doing good-enough imitations of famous people.
    Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 11 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The road ahead However, as AI models improve and businesses become more savvy at integrating new tools, Llewellyn is hopeful about their utility.
    Sydney Goh, CNBC, 11 Mar. 2026
  • Rhoda says its approach addresses this limitation by training robot models on internet-scale video data before refining them with robot-specific learning.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 11 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Miniature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miniature. Accessed 15 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on miniature

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster