1
as in little
of a size that is less than average
a small cat who never weighed more than five pounds
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in slim
small in degree
your chances of winning the lottery are so small that it's best not to count on it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in minor
lacking importance
reluctant to bring such a small matter to the boss's attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in petty
not broad or open in views or opinions
townspeople who were helpful to one another but who also could be small and intolerant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of small
The operation started as a small, open-air fruit stand more than 80 years ago.
—
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 June 2026
By the following year, thirty-seven per cent of school districts reported not having a librarian at all; previous research has shown that the proportion is even higher in the smallest districts, which tend to be rural.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 12 June 2026
The team also found that the pion appears smaller than the proton at moderate momentum values.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 June 2026
Watch session recordings, track drop-off points and run small tests before shipping major redesigns.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for small
Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 June 2026
By the following year, thirty-seven per cent of school districts reported not having a librarian at all; previous research has shown that the proportion is even higher in the smallest districts, which tend to be rural.
—Jessica Winter, New Yorker, 12 June 2026
The team also found that the pion appears smaller than the proton at moderate momentum values.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 12 June 2026
Watch session recordings, track drop-off points and run small tests before shipping major redesigns.
—Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for small
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small
Adjective
-
When Gary Vernon began riding mountain bikes in Arkansas almost 40 years ago, there was very little infrastructure intended for riders without deep experience—or a devil-may-care attitude.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
-
Emergency reserves have little oil to spare and fuel stockpiles are facing critical lows as peak summer demand months approach.—
Devika Krishna Kumar,
Fortune,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
While the Knicks beat the Spurs 105-95 during Game 1, Game 2 was a close call, with the Knicks winning by a slim one-point margin.—
Matt Minton,
Variety,
11 June 2026
-
For example, by Sunday night, the measure had caught up and was practically in a tie, with the no votes ahead by a slim 11,500 votes.—
Steve Scauzillo,
Daily News,
10 June 2026
Adjective
-
The postmortem highlighted nearly two dozen laws that the city attorney’s office identified as affecting Meridian city business, some requiring minor tweaks to standard practices and others necessitating city-code overhauls.—
Rose Evans
June 6,
Idaho Statesman,
6 June 2026
-
His identity is not being made public after Roach issued an order on Friday barring public identification of any minor witnesses.—
Matt Lavietes,
NBC news,
6 June 2026
Adjective
-
Lestat justifies his, uh, connection with Gabriella by arguing that vampires transcend petty human concepts like conventional morality.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
7 June 2026
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The Avs did right by MacFarland in granting him permission to interview, unlike the petty and classless Golden Knights, who continue to hold former coach Bruce Cassidy hostage.—
Troy Renck,
Denver Post,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
Despite its unnerving intimacy, which suggests either erotic pursuit or familiar proximity, the diminutive print calls to mind the photos of Saul Leiter, a figure surprisingly unmentioned in Ghirri’s essays despite his frequent fond allusions to American street photography.—
James Quandt,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
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One of the other creatures parked in Clark’s Backrooms nest is a diminutive entity in velvety red that strongly recalls a still, silent version of the Little Man From Another Place, a signature character from David Lynch’s Twin Peaks.—
Tasha Robinson,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Adjective
-
The 37 mm case, integrated bracelet, and dial are crafted in 18-karat gold, with the eight white-gold screws on the bezel providing only the slightest bit of contrast.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
6 June 2026
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Pivoting effortlessly from family man to ruthless felon, Cranston once again puts his acting range on full display, with a nuanced performance that is underscored by the knowledge that the slightest misstep could cost him — and his family — their lives.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
6 June 2026
Adjective
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Natalie Neysa Alund The Strait of Hormuz is a narrow 100-mile-long waterway in the Middle East and has been a point of key contention during the course of the war.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
13 June 2026
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According to the home’s actual dimensions, the doorway (which didn’t exist when the family moved in) should dead-end to an external wall; instead, when Navidson opens the door, there’s a narrow hallway nearly ten feet long inside.—
Roxana Hadadi,
Vulture,
12 June 2026
Adjective
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The whole episode is a reminder to product designers everywhere that users can be extremely sensitive to the seemingly smallest changes — and Spotify clearly had not anticipated that a teeny-tiny disco ball drop would prove to be unpopular.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
12 June 2026
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Today, Siazon’s pickles can be found at the Sacramento Natural Food Co-op, the Davis Foods Co-op, Corti Brothers, the Kitchen Table locations, Allspicery in East Sacramento and tiny but mighty Superette Market in Land Park.—
Sean Timberlake,
Sacbee.com,
12 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Small.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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