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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
Her sari—royal-purple silk stitched with miniature golden birds—hung straight down without any visible deviation in service to hips or buttocks. Madhuri Vijay, New Yorker, 16 Aug. 2026 While helicopters scattered miniature red roses over the crowd, priests in white robes celebrated Mass and the popular Mazowsze folk ensemble sang and danced to traditional Polish music. ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
Noun
Devised by Mattel as the first trackable toy car in 1968, these cool miniatures have become one of the most popular toys of all time. Bestreviews, Mercury News, 31 July 2026 Berk questioned why two chainsaws found in the garage and a third miniature saw discovered inside the house were not collected into evidence after initial chemical swabs tested negative for blood. Claudia Rosenbaum, Vulture, 28 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for miniature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miniature
Adjective
  • One of my non-negotiable recommendations is Tonnara di Scopello, another historic tuna fishery turned into a tiny museum and protected cove.
    Megan Rose Murray, Condé Nast Traveler, 22 Aug. 2026
  • Forward-looking brands and retailers are drawing up blueprints for the next demographic frontier — the tiniest tots born between 2025 and 2039.
    Faye Brookman, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • The roughly 25-acre farm is also home to a reproduction of the Salem Village Meeting House, the site of many early hearings about the Salem witchcraft hysteria.
    Nicholas DeRenzo, Travel + Leisure, 25 Aug. 2026
  • If a reproduction looks too shiny, Quinn suggests using a matte spray to tone down the finish.
    Angelika Pokovba, Martha Stewart, 23 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Yields briefly dipped but went back up a day later as the $4 billion size of the buybacks is minuscule compared to the $32 trillion Treasury market.
    Jason Ma, Fortune, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Excess potassium, including the minuscule amounts of potassium-40, is excreted.
    Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • If cave paintings tell the stories of the earliest human life, factices — the once-ubiquitous oversized perfume bottle replicas — play a similar role in revealing the histories of fragrance.
    Noor Lobad, Footwear News, 21 Aug. 2026
  • Now, the moviegoing public can stumble on perfect replicas of theatrical blockbusters on numerous social apps and screen them in full before copyright teams can hit the panic button.
    Gene Maddaus, Variety, 21 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • The microscopic amoeba thrives in warm freshwater and can cause a neurological infection when water containing the amoeba rushes through the nose and reaches the brain, according to the state health department.
    Diego Mendoza, CNN Money, 24 Aug. 2026
  • Similar microscopic light-guiding structures are also becoming central to new chip-scale laser technology.
    Rupendra Brahambhatt, Interesting Engineering, 22 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • Told that imitation is the highest form of flattery, Steele guffaws.
    Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 21 Aug. 2026
  • The Catholics in his government, from Supreme Court justices to Cabinet members to Vice President JD Vance, are acting as a rubber stamp for an imperious ruler, instead of imitations of Christ.
    Gustavo Arellano, Los Angeles Times, 19 Aug. 2026
Noun
  • These were followed by black- and silver-dial models retaining the dual-color bezel.
    Oren Hartov, Robb Report, 25 Aug. 2026
  • Shortly after, Claude developer Anthropic said its AI models hacked into the systems of three organizations independently during a private security experiment.
    Tom Matsuda, Vogue, 25 Aug. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Miniature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miniature. Accessed 27 Aug. 2026.

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