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miniature

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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
The Maroon 5 singer has revealed that Shelton tricked him into forking over $5,000 to secure a not-so-little miniature pig for his partner, Behati Prinsloo. Emlyn Travis Published, EW.com, 4 July 2025 Lewis, now 26, told CNN on a warm June day last year while eating miniature corn dogs (at a leisurely pace) outside of the original Nathan’s location in Coney Island. Elise Hammond, CNN Money, 4 July 2025
Noun
With that being said, my personal favorite is the mystery room, featuring a spooky haunted house miniature display, as well as a crime solving display above the shelves. American Booksellers Association, USA TODAY, 22 Feb. 2025 The climax of this biopic in miniature, of course, is the crash, which, like Sully, dramatizes the cockpit transcript from the real-life event with word-for-word detail. Rebecca Alter, Vulture, 5 May 2025 See All Example Sentences for miniature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miniature
Adjective
  • One nautical mile west of Santorini, opposite the village of Oia and the caldera, lies the tiny island of Therasia, accessible via boat departing from Ammoudi Bay.
    Monica Mendal, Vogue, 15 July 2025
  • Her tiny strides nestled among the cypress trees near the Guadalupe River.
    Laura Trujillo, USA Today, 14 July 2025
Noun
  • The 13-inch OLED touch screen is stunning, with fantastic color reproduction and crisp visuals.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 11 July 2025
  • Ross noted that the exhibit includes murals with life-size reproductions of figures that were originally painted smaller.
    Kelly Haramis, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
Adjective
  • Rivera was even more unyielding than Tolle, posting a minuscule 0.96 ERA over 18.2 innings with his only runs allowed being a pair of solo homers.
    Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 4 July 2025
  • There is a minuscule chance the Browns would consider heading into the regular season with five total quarterbacks on their roster.
    Evan Massey, MSNBC Newsweek, 2 July 2025
Noun
  • The luxury real estate development was designed to emulate the City of Lights, featuring its own Arc de Triomphe, Champs-Élysées, and a 354-foot replica of the Eiffel Tower.
    Celia Fernandez, CNBC, 13 July 2025
  • Season 3 ended on a major cliffhanger: Both the original Nathan and his replica were captured by evil tech billionaires, and only one of them survived.
    Kelly Lawler, USA Today, 11 July 2025
Noun
  • Megan Stalter’s challenge here is to come off more like herself and less like an imitation of Dunham, to resist the impulse to do Hannah Horvath in London.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 10 July 2025
  • The challenge is compounded by the fact that many jurisdictions have weak enforcement mechanisms for intellectual property violations, lengthy legal processes that favor defendants and cultural attitudes that view imitation as legitimate competition rather than theft.
    Mohaimina Haque, Forbes.com, 9 July 2025
Noun
  • The pool brand names and model numbers can be found on the pool liner on the outside of the pool.
    Melina Khan, AZCentral.com, 22 July 2025
  • With the market saturated with many brands and similar models, carmakers that don't want to lose market share are of the view that the only way to survive in the short term is lowering prices, said Felipe Munoz, an automotive analyst at Jato.
    Elaine Yu, CNBC, 21 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Miniature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miniature. Accessed 25 Jul. 2025.

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