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 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
Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 31 Dec. 2025
Around 61,000 years ago, the pygmy elephant population crashed, robbing the hobbits of their most critical food source just as the environment began to fail.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Dec. 2025
Consider the rise of Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippo from a Thai zoo that took the internet by storm in the idyllic distant past that was late summer 2024.
—Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2025
Born on November 22, 1973, Hannah Shirley is now twice as old as most members of her species, having well outlived the typical 25–30 year lifespan of pygmy hippos in the wild.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pygmy
Noun
Trek through the Danum Valley rainforest, cruise the Kinabatangan River, and spot orangutans and pygmy elephants.
—Travel + Leisure Editors, Travel + Leisure, 31 Dec. 2025
Around 61,000 years ago, the pygmy elephant population crashed, robbing the hobbits of their most critical food source just as the environment began to fail.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Dec. 2025
Consider the rise of Moo Deng, the baby pygmy hippo from a Thai zoo that took the internet by storm in the idyllic distant past that was late summer 2024.
—Hazlitt, 3 Dec. 2025
Born on November 22, 1973, Hannah Shirley is now twice as old as most members of her species, having well outlived the typical 25–30 year lifespan of pygmy hippos in the wild.
—Maria Azzurra Volpe, MSNBC Newsweek, 21 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for pygmy
Recent Examples of Synonyms for pygmy
Adjective
-
Hummingbirds are attracted to a number of flowering plants, but many people choose to install hummingbird feeders to attract these diminutive, fast-flying birds.—
Peg Aloi,
The Spruce,
7 Feb. 2026
-
While the Heat over the years have succeeded with smaller guards, the majority of success stories with those of diminutive stature are those with stockier builds, such as Tim Hardaway, Goran Dragic, Kyle Lowry or even current bulldog Davion Mitchell.—
Ira Winderman,
Sun Sentinel,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Hardy in Zones 8a-10b, a dwarf olive grows no more than 15 feet tall.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
Southern Living,
3 Feb. 2026
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Look for dwarf pea varieties that don’t necessarily seek extra support and may perform better in containers.—
Samantha Johnson,
Martha Stewart,
1 Feb. 2026
Noun
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Finally, Marilyn is not presented as a cipher to be solved or quarry to be caged.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Jan. 2026
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The Blind Owl is extremely dense, brimming with metaphors and ciphers and symbols.—
Amir Ahmadi Arian,
The Dial,
15 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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This seems odd but ripening fruit releases small amounts of ethylene gas which can reduce the longevity of the arrangement.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Feb. 2026
-
But the geographical distance is small compared to the geopolitical canyon the Games hope to bridge.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Why not put pretend stethoscopes and pill bottles into the boxes and sell them as toy doctor’s kits?—
Alexandra Schwartz,
New Yorker,
9 Feb. 2026
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Pinto’s mom has a little area that would otherwise be a dining space defined by an area rug, with pull out storage bins, another toy kitchen and a little table and chairs.—
Caron Golden,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
7 Feb. 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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The importance of motive At this point, there’s little to suggest the motive is political or ideological, Leising said.—
Chris Kenning,
USA Today,
8 Feb. 2026
-
The big-tech releases from last week did little to calm nerves stateside, while some of Europe's biggest names are preparing to report this week.—
Leonie Kidd,
CNBC,
8 Feb. 2026
Noun
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By now, the insects are well established throughout most of the state’s coast and most of its largest urban centers.—
Andrew Paul,
Popular Science,
5 Feb. 2026
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Antiparasitic Oregano oil is also an antiparasitic insect repellent.—
BestReviews,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Pygmy.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/pygmy. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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