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Definition of miniaturenext
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
Photograph by Brenda Bazán for TIME On July 4th—the 250th anniversary of America’s independence—Senate candidates in other states were marching in parades, waving miniature Stars and Stripes, and brandishing sparklers. — Philip Elliott, Time, 30 Sep. 2026 Apple has at last updated its iconic miniature desktop (the last go-around was 2024) and somehow spawned two very different Mac minis in two identical shells. — Joe Osborne, PC Magazine, 29 Sep. 2026
Noun
And in lower Manhattan, the old twin towers of the World Trade Center still stand sentry in Macken's miniature Gotham, albeit alongside One World Trade Center and the other gleaming skyscrapers constructed after the 2001 terror attacks. — CBS News, 18 Sep. 2026 HeeHaw, a petting zoo miniature donkey at Elsberry Riding and Farm in Rockmart, was shot by a Cedartown police officer who was conducting an unrelated search for a missing girl. — Taylor Croft, AJC.com, 18 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for miniature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miniature
Adjective
  • Commonly associated with environmental risk factors such as smoking or exposure to hazards like radon, the rare but aggressively fast-growing condition gets its name from the unusually tiny appearance of its cells.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
  • These tiny architects of the deep sea actively regulate microbial populations.
    — Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Male zebrafish develop special structures on their pectoral fins that help with reproduction.
    — Junsu Kang, The Conversation, 5 Oct. 2026
  • This exhibit displays body parts and specimens crucial to human development and reproduction.
    — Emma Hall October 3, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Billions of minuscule creatures, after all, agitate the waterways of the world.
    — Stephen Ornes, Quanta Magazine, 2 Oct. 2026
  • The Information heard from several small and mid-sized publishers in the program that Google’s AI payments are minuscule, equaling roughly one-tenth of one percent of their advertising revenue.
    — Ryan Whitwam, ArsTechnica, 30 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • Fitting that there are dinosaur replicas towering over the lobby that leads straight through the building.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Moreau made a tool to measure the depth and heights of the wards, to make a replica of what the original key probably looked like.
    — Shayla Love, New Yorker, 10 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • This jagged microscopic debris, easily dispersed by meteorite impacts and rocket exhaust, is corrosive, abrasive and adhesive.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 8 Oct. 2026
  • These microscopic fuel kernels retain radioactive material even under extreme temperatures.
    — Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Bad imitations eventually reduced molecular gastronomy to a punch line about foam, fog, and something unfortunately known as meat glue.
    — John Vorwald, Robb Report, 11 Oct. 2026
  • Kubiak, who was KU’s wide-receivers coach in 2015, took part in his obligatory interview with CBS Sports’ Tracy Wolfson and did an imitation of Joe Namath.
    — Pete Grathoff, Kansas City Star, 4 Oct. 2026
Noun
  • Meanwhile, public broadcasters are pursuing different models of collaboration.
    — Emiliano de Pablos, Variety, 10 Oct. 2026
  • Its success was immediate, and many others adopted the model with varying degrees of success.
    — Mark Cecil, Robb Report, 10 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

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

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