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

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
Marie-Paule had straight blond hair, cut in a bob with a clip on one side, and was clutching a miniature schoolbag. Annie Ernaux, New Yorker, 1 June 2026 The nose bridge features an additional set of hinges that allow the lenses to fold into each other, fitting neatly into a miniature case that’s ideal for on-the-go travelers. Cassie Gill, Travel + Leisure, 1 June 2026
Noun
Lopez’s day bag will feature miniature bags as pockets on the exterior, and the miniatures will also be released as separate bags. Kristen Tauer, Footwear News, 15 May 2026 The campaign introduces 12 miniature, readable book charms based on titles chosen collaboratively with Gen-Z consumers. Kian Bakhtiari, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for miniature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miniature
Adjective
  • From the train windows, expect to spot the aquamarine waves of Ligurian Sea crashing against the stony coast, candy-colored houses huddled together on the hillsides, tiny wooden boats gliding through village harbors, and flecks of golden-sand beaches.
    Jessica Puckett, Condé Nast Traveler, 5 June 2026
  • Tribby, of Miles City, noted that, absent a court ruling that defines the legality of corner crossing in Montana, the PLPW council should consider access corridors rather than single-point access to a tiny corner that might be on a steep sidehill or monumented by a tree.
    Andrew McKean, Outdoor Life, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • Over time, the theory goes, this will disrupt the reproduction cycle, thereby increasing competition and decreasing the overall population.
    Joe Wilkins, Futurism, 4 June 2026
  • Melious will discuss different types of reproduction found in our trees, the consequences, and management of trees in your own yard.
    Julie Gallant, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2026
Adjective
  • Expect to see even tinier dots and minuscule French tips atop jelly polishes in summery shades like fuchsia and blood orange.
    Annie Blay-Tettey, Allure, 4 June 2026
  • Black holes are enormous concentrations of matter packed into minuscule spaces, as NASA explains.
    Adam Harrington, CBS News, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • In Nigerian churches, fans hoisted aloft replica trophies at thanksgiving prayer services.
    Lauren Frayer, NPR, 29 May 2026
  • Officers detained many of the people in the fight after chasing them down and later found the replica Glock gun, police said.
    Rick Hurd, Mercury News, 29 May 2026
Adjective
  • And experts say such a provision is unnecessary, as noncitizens have never been shown to vote at anything but microscopic numbers in American elections.
    Miles Parks, NPR, 4 June 2026
  • The findings offer a rare glimpse into ancient human life and the microscopic organisms that have survived alongside the mummy for thousands of years.
    Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 4 June 2026
Noun
  • Before Helios, the team built IKARUS, an earlier platform that served as a testbed for teleoperation, imitation learning, and dual-arm manipulation.
    Omar Kardoudi May 29, New Atlas, 29 May 2026
  • Its core capability is a whole-body imitation learning system that enables it to learn tasks by observing human demonstrations and executing them independently with high precision.
    Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 28 May 2026
Noun
  • The department announced in May that Google, xAI and Microsoft ​had agreed to submit their AI models for security testing.
    Joey Garrison, USA Today, 3 June 2026
  • Anthropic will offer the EU use of its cutting-edge Mythos AI model to plug cybersecurity holes.
    Tom Chivers, semafor.com, 2 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Miniature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miniature. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.

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