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
But in successful experiments in the fall of 2025, scientists re-created the conditions present at the birth of planets, complete with simulacra of magma and miniature hydrogen atmospheres. Quanta Magazine, 8 May 2026 See’s came to San Francisco in 1935, and the 1939 World’s Fair on Treasure Island featured a See’s shop and miniature candy kitchen where attendees could watch Scotch Kisses and Bon Bons being made. Linda Zavoral, Mercury News, 7 May 2026
Noun
Bohan carried on that tradition, while also designing two collections a year for Baby Dior, often making miniatures of Elizabeth Taylor’s purchases for her daughter, Liza, which the pair would go out wearing together. Leah Dolan, CNN Money, 22 Apr. 2026 The rocketeer claimed each of these organisms — floating in the void, crowding stars like phototropic cosmic foliage — would resemble a miniature biosphere, being metabolically self-sufficient. Big Think, 22 Apr. 2026 See All Example Sentences for miniature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miniature
Adjective
  • Despite their tiny size, the devices delivered some of the strongest efficiencies reported for ultrathin perovskite solar technology.
    Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 14 May 2026
  • The kibble is smaller and meant for tiny mouths.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • Another painting in the cycle had been replaced by a yellowing photographic reproduction.
    Sebastian Smee, The Atlantic, 16 May 2026
  • The stigma tied to conditions framed primarily around reproduction—especially those that are often misdiagnosed or undertreated—can also affect a patient's mental health over time.
    Abby Norman, Verywell Health, 14 May 2026
Adjective
  • But this minuscule bit was trapped within a diamond, keeping its crystal structure intact.
    James Dinneen, Scientific American, 14 May 2026
  • The polygraph is composed of several minuscule sensors in one soft device.
    Adam Harrington, CBS News, 14 May 2026
Noun
  • That, of course, is the same plate seen on the show, and the same one on the Volo Museum's replica.
    Matt Reigle OutKick, FOXNews.com, 16 May 2026
  • Adult shirts are £85 for replicas, £12o for authentic cuts (closer to what players wear in games), and £130 for the authentic long sleeve version.
    Art de Roché, New York Times, 15 May 2026
Adjective
  • Given these past successes, a group of Chinese researchers decided to use microscopic samples of Homo erectus teeth from three sites in China, each dating to about 400,000 years ago.
    ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 13 May 2026
  • Those eggs are microscopic and hatch quickly, and no amount of surface washing can reliably reach what may have burrowed inside.
    Anne Wolf, Martha Stewart, 13 May 2026
Noun
  • The setup uses two CRX collaborative robots trained through imitation learning, where a human operator first performs the folding task, and the robots learn from those demonstrations.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 15 May 2026
  • But the most memorable impressions are rarely straightforward imitations.
    Seth Abramovitch, HollywoodReporter, 15 May 2026
Noun
  • Anthropic was granted a preliminary injunction in its San Francisco case, allowing government agencies other than the DOD to use Anthropic’s models while the litigation unfolds.
    Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 19 May 2026
  • Climate change is producing weather no model has trained on (including changing the behavior of hurricanes).
    Gautam Mukunda, Mercury News, 19 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Miniature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miniature. Accessed 21 May. 2026.

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