as in dwarf
something (such as an animal) much smaller than others of its kind
one kitten was definitely the runt, weighing only six ounces at birth
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Recent Examples of runt
That runt is now the starting quarterback of the New England Patriots.
—
Tim Rohan, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
There’s usually a runt in every litter.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 13 Dec. 2025
Schuster-Koloamatangi, who’s a native New Zealander, plays Dek, the franchise’s first Yautja protagonist, and as the runt of his Predator clan, he’s been completely written off by his father.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Seen as the runt of his clan, Dek has something to prove.
—Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2025
College football’s eternal doormat, the runt of the SEC’s original litter, had earned time in the national spotlight.
—Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 31 Oct. 2025
Imagine a second straight year of Bama righting the season by beating Georgia — and then immediately losing to the SEC's longtime runt.
—Jason Kirk, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Pershan observed that this was a runt of the litter.
—Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 June 2025
Tim Rohan, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026
There’s usually a runt in every litter.
—Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 13 Dec. 2025
Schuster-Koloamatangi, who’s a native New Zealander, plays Dek, the franchise’s first Yautja protagonist, and as the runt of his Predator clan, he’s been completely written off by his father.
—Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 4 Nov. 2025
Seen as the runt of his clan, Dek has something to prove.
—Sergio Pereira, Space.com, 4 Nov. 2025
College football’s eternal doormat, the runt of the SEC’s original litter, had earned time in the national spotlight.
—Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 31 Oct. 2025
Imagine a second straight year of Bama righting the season by beating Georgia — and then immediately losing to the SEC's longtime runt.
—Jason Kirk, New York Times, 2 Oct. 2025
Pershan observed that this was a runt of the litter.
—Cesar Hernandez, San Francisco Chronicle, 25 June 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for runt
Noun
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Beyond rock and ice The finding of L 98-59 d challenges the long-standing astronomical belief that small exoplanets must be either gas dwarfs or water worlds covered in ice and oceans.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Mar. 2026
-
In a gas-dwarf scenario, planets are believed to form rock cores that accrete a small percentage of hydrogen-helium during the formation process.—
Julia Jacobo,
ABC News,
16 Mar. 2026
Noun
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The more common nickname, El Mencho, is said to be a diminutive of his first name, Nemesio.—
Senior Editor,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Feb. 2026
-
Another gender-neutral name that had a burst of popularity in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Jamie was a go-to for girls or a diminutive of James for boys.—
Kara Nesvig,
Parents,
20 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
The soft, squeezable texture of this toy is designed to alleviate stress and provide endless fun.—
Michele Laufik,
Martha Stewart,
16 Mar. 2026
-
Ted was greeted with his own water bowl, blanket, cookies, and a toy in our room, and every staff member greeted him with pets during our stay.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Runt.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/runt. Accessed 21 Mar. 2026.
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