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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in number
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
Eric Noll, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2025
Travelers start in Borneo’s rainforests, looking for orangutans, proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants.
—Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Here, guests will find a pizza pod, spa, a family of pygmy goats, and several beehives from which more than 400 pounds of honey are harvested each year.
—Asia London Palomba, Travel + Leisure, 10 Aug. 2025
But in some good news, the Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Kansas welcomed a new male baby pygmy hippo on June 26.
—Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pygmy
Noun
The star of the show was Mars, a 6-week-old pygmy hippo, one of only 3,000 remaining in the wild.
—Eric Noll, ABC News, 14 Aug. 2025
Travelers start in Borneo’s rainforests, looking for orangutans, proboscis monkeys and pygmy elephants.
—Roger Sands, Forbes.com, 11 Aug. 2025
Here, guests will find a pizza pod, spa, a family of pygmy goats, and several beehives from which more than 400 pounds of honey are harvested each year.
—Asia London Palomba, Travel + Leisure, 10 Aug. 2025
But in some good news, the Tanganyika Wildlife Park in Kansas welcomed a new male baby pygmy hippo on June 26.
—Kirsty Hatcher, People.com, 10 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for pygmy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pygmy
Adjective
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Baby-faced, diminutive, and drowned by the baggy shirts on his back, Mora is a child running rings around the pros.—
Thom Harris,
New York Times,
23 Oct. 2025
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That the diminutive McDaniel didn’t look (or sound) the part of an NFL head coach hardly mattered two years ago, when his team was hanging 70 points on Denver.—
Barry Jackson
Updated October 19,
Miami Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
Noun
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As kobolds go, Heinzelmann was more harmless than most, going about his business protecting the castle from giants and dwarves and keeping the staff updated on faerie gossip, as well as protecting the chambermaids from unwelcome attentions from visiting noblemen.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Oct. 2025
-
Most standard-sized fruit trees should be spaced about 20 to 25 feet away from each other and homes, but dwarf varieties can be planted closer together.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
27 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Her approval rating sits at a strong 71%, a number her team will be keen to preserve.—
Hanako Montgomery,
CNN Money,
27 Oct. 2025
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How many Powerball numbers are needed to win a prize?—
Ray Padilla,
Louisville Courier Journal,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Add the ginger during the last minute of cooking, then transfer the mixture to a small bowl and set aside.—
Elizabeth Fogarty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Oct. 2025
-
Martin knocked on the hunter’s small tent.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
28 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Chaos reigns in the studio as ballerinas, toy soldiers, and puppets scatter across the screen.—
Erik Morse,
Vogue,
23 Oct. 2025
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The season 3 trailer teased no shortage of moments where Elsbeth must use her unique experience and intuition to resolve even the most dangerous cases — including a hostage incident at a toy store.—
Caroline Blair,
PEOPLE,
23 Oct. 2025
Noun
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The bee attack in Guyana comes just months after 24 people were left injured when the flying insects suddenly attacked in the French town of Aurillac, local authorities in the south-central French Prefecture of Cantal confirmed to the Associated Press at the time.—
Desiree Anello,
PEOPLE,
25 Oct. 2025
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In order to blend in completely with their environment, these insects will stand and sway as leaves on a tree would in a breeze, according to researchers.—
Lauren Liebhaber,
Miami Herald,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Inside, two picnic tables were stacked on top of each other, leaving little room to climb.—
Quinn Clark,
jsonline.com,
27 Oct. 2025
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During last week's episode, viewers saw Dylan dance with his little sister, Olivia, for Dedication Night on.—
Charlotte Phillipp,
PEOPLE,
26 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Taking on classic buddy-comedy attributes, Sam is the together one with a programmatic path toward life as a wealthy but hollow finance twerp, while Ari is the brash, cracked, less-medicated-than-he-should-be bull in a china shop.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
8 Sep. 2025
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Most of the movie is a vaguely comical swipe at Napoleon in domestic life—an awkward lover, a jealous husband, an inveterate complainer, and in sum an annoying twerp.—
Kyle Smith,
WSJ,
21 Nov. 2023
Cite this Entry
“Pygmy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pygmy. Accessed 28 Oct. 2025.
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