as in diminutive
of a size that is less than average
a pygmy elephant
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
variants
also pigmy
1
as in dwarf
something (such as an animal) much smaller than others of its kind
hummingbirds may be the pygmies of the avian world, but what they lack in size they make up for in beauty
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in cipher
a person of no importance or influence
regrettably, most of the candidates for the party's nomination that year were political pygmies
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of pygmy
Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
The smallest snake in the state, the pygmy rattlesnake, packs a punch given its compact size.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Sep. 2025
The baby's arrival isn't just a big deal not only for the proud parents, but also for the zoo since this is the first pygmy hippo calf ever born there.
—Sarah Scanlan, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
What to know about pygmy hippos Pygmy hippos are native to West Africa, according to the John Ball Zoo.
—Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pygmy
Noun
In the wild, pygmy hippos typically live between 25 and 30 years — making Hannah’s milestone all the more remarkable.
—Moná Thomas, PEOPLE, 21 Nov. 2025
The smallest snake in the state, the pygmy rattlesnake, packs a punch given its compact size.
—Craig Shoup, Nashville Tennessean, 18 Sep. 2025
The baby's arrival isn't just a big deal not only for the proud parents, but also for the zoo since this is the first pygmy hippo calf ever born there.
—Sarah Scanlan, USA Today, 12 Sep. 2025
What to know about pygmy hippos Pygmy hippos are native to West Africa, according to the John Ball Zoo.
—Natalie Davies, Freep.com, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pygmy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pygmy
Adjective
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Now the towering ceiling of their new Hollywood soundstage was making even the 36-inch set piece feel diminutive.—
Julia Black,
Vanity Fair,
8 Jan. 2026
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Andrews left the more creative, diminutive Mikkel Damsgaard on the bench.—
Liam Tharme,
New York Times,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Skip cosmetic pruning of conifers during the coldest part of winter and delay shaping trims for ornamental yews, junipers, boxwoods, and tree-type conifers like dwarf spruces until after the new flush of growth in spring.—
Andy Wilcox,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Jan. 2026
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Care Requirements When cultivating a dwarf apple tree indoors, choose a container with drainage holes that has a top diameter of 18 to 22 inches or a capacity of 15 to 25 gallons.—
SJ McShane,
Martha Stewart,
10 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Like Dostoyevsky, Capote doesn’t portray his killers as demonic ciphers, instead capturing their messy complexity.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
11 Jan. 2026
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Two streetlamps engaged in a mute but luminous dialogue, an indecipherable Morse code, alluding to the silent exchanges and secret ciphers of strangers who meet there for their trysts.—
Javier Montes,
Artforum,
1 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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Carry a windshield scraper, jumper cables, a small shovel, flashlight, cell phone, blanket and additional warm clothing, drinking water, and high-calorie non-perishable food.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
14 Jan. 2026
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In fact, sometimes smaller heaters can match or outperform larger units, depending on their design.—
Shivani Vyas,
Better Homes & Gardens,
14 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Never place a wooden or battery-operated toy in the dishwasher.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
9 Jan. 2026
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Flywing avoids positioning the X-Wing Fighter as a casual toy.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
9 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Many of Newsom’s critics who breathlessly report on his evil plans (that the left-wing mainstream media supposedly cover up) are just nobodies who feign authority and are obviously fronting for right-wing organizations.—
Dan Walters,
Oc Register,
16 Dec. 2025
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Where else could award winning writers pop off about nothing at all, and nobodies could rattle the ivory towers?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
Adjective
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In contrast to the surge in opioid fatality numbers of the past decade, deaths attributable to cocaine have shown little increase.—
Charles LeBaron,
Time,
13 Jan. 2026
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Houston’s defensive prowess was on display on each snap as Rodgers was left with little to no time to make a decision.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
13 Jan. 2026
Noun
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And now a new study finds that when humans encroach on wild places, these insects may develop a special taste for human blood above all other food sources.—
Jackie Flynn Mogensen,
Scientific American,
15 Jan. 2026
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Another study found that cleared forest patches had created a perfect breeding environment for the insect, helping its return.—
Tom Hawking,
Popular Science,
15 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pygmy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pygmy. Accessed 17 Jan. 2026.
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