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
a living thing 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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of pygmy
Sam Thielman, New York Times, 20 May 2025
Videos and photos of the baby pygmy have garnered millions of views on social media.
—Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2025
Adult pygmy hippos generally weigh between 350 and 600 pounds, or about the same as some domestic pigs.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 Dec. 2024
Poppy the baby pygmy hippo finally has her own livestream.
—Sabrina Moreno, Axios, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pygmy
Noun
Complicating their life on a pygmy goat sanctuary in Vermont is a crew of old friends who live nearby, several of them in the same house.
—Sam Thielman, New York Times, 20 May 2025
Videos and photos of the baby pygmy have garnered millions of views on social media.
—Greta Cross, USA TODAY, 6 Jan. 2025
Adult pygmy hippos generally weigh between 350 and 600 pounds, or about the same as some domestic pigs.
—Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 25 Dec. 2024
Poppy the baby pygmy hippo finally has her own livestream.
—Sabrina Moreno, Axios, 13 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pygmy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pygmy
Adjective
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And following a violent barn house showdown in which a diminutive, yet completely feral, octogenarian visibly grows new fangs, such suspicions are confirmed.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
10 June 2025
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One-quarter of the way through the 21st Century, high-end SUVs are one of the dominant categories in the automotive market — every brand from Acura to Volvo has them, in sizes ranging from diminutive to Brobdingnagian.—
Will Sabel Courtney,
Robb Report,
5 June 2025
Noun
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Tell me a little bit about the technical side of filming a dwarf and an elf together.—
Devan Coggan,
EW.com,
13 Oct. 2022
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Other new characters include Disa, the first female dwarf ever shown in the Lord of the Rings series.—
Ethan Millman,
Rolling Stone,
22 July 2022
Noun
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Similar numbers are reported in Jacksonville, Florida, and Round Rock, near Austin, Texas.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 June 2025
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In terms of the absolute number of viewers that were added between a sixth and seventh broadcast, the 2016 Cavaliers-Warriors classic beat all comers with a net gain of 10.3 million viewers.—
Anthony Crupi,
Sportico.com,
22 June 2025
Adjective
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These scopes will be able to resolve features as small as 8 inches (20 centimeters) on the lunar surface from an altitude of 31 miles (50 kilometers), according to Firefly.—
Mike Wall,
Space.com,
18 June 2025
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These small transactions often lead to bigger, more damaging fraud if ignored.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2025
Noun
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Pour the sauce over and gently toss with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until the shrimp and avocado are thoroughly coated.—
Janelle Davis,
CNN,
7 Feb. 2023
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Brine shrimp are a critical food source for the aquaculture industry.—
Evan Bush,
NBC News,
21 Jan. 2023
Noun
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Do control the Asian psyllid insects with an insecticide spray at each flush of growth to prevent the spread of greening disease.—
Tom MacCubbin,
The Orlando Sentinel,
28 June 2025
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In the forest and other natural settings, termites are beneficial insects that recycle woody debris, such as dead trees, and return nutrients to the soil.—
Arricca Elin SanSone,
Southern Living,
27 June 2025
Adjective
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The issue passed with opposition from Republicans and 18 skeptical Democrats in the House but with relatively little public outcry.—
Staff report,
Hartford Courant,
23 June 2025
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Presidents have relatively little influence on oil and gasoline prices generally.—
Rachel Frazin,
The Hill,
23 June 2025
Noun
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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
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Kind of a little twerp, now and again.—
Ashley Fetters Maloy,
Washington Post,
7 Nov. 2022
Cite this Entry
“Pygmy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pygmy. Accessed 1 Jul. 2025.
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