Definition of smallnext
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Synonym Chooser

How is the word small distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of small are diminutive, little, miniature, minute, and tiny. While all these words mean "noticeably below average in size," small and little are often interchangeable, but small applies more to relative size determined by capacity, value, number.

a relatively small backyard

In what contexts can diminutive take the place of small?

In some situations, the words diminutive and small are roughly equivalent. However, diminutive implies abnormal smallness.

diminutive bonsai plants

When can little be used instead of small?

The meanings of little and small largely overlap; however, little is more absolute in implication often carrying the idea of petiteness, pettiness, insignificance, or immaturity.

your pathetic little smile

When could miniature be used to replace small?

The words miniature and small can be used in similar contexts, but miniature applies to an exactly proportioned reproduction on a very small scale.

a dollhouse with miniature furnishings

When is it sensible to use minute instead of small?

The words minute and small are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, minute implies extreme smallness.

a minute amount of caffeine in the soda

How are the words tiny and minute related as synonyms of small?

Tiny is an informal equivalent to minute.

tiny cracks formed in the painting

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of small Stocks of smaller companies, which can feel the pinch of higher interest rates more than their bigger rivals, led the way lower. Arkansas Online, 21 Mar. 2026 In 2024, Plano’s City Council approved a multiyear redevelopment project for the mall to replace empty retail space with apartments, offices and a hotel to help support a smaller shopping center. Lilly Kersh, Dallas Morning News, 21 Mar. 2026 Instead of relying on a high concentration of a single acid (more typical of Western exfoliants), the formula uses smaller amounts of multiple acids for a gentler approach. Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 21 Mar. 2026 Purdue was a top two seed for the third time in four years and aiming for its second Final Four in three seasons, while Queens, the small, private school from Charlotte, was making its March Madness debut. Charlotte Observer, 21 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for small
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small
Adjective
  • In this environment, there is little incentive for Netanyahu to push up the election date, said Yohanan Plesner, president of the Israel Democracy Institute, a Jerusalem think tank.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 22 Mar. 2026
  • When she was hired by Dia in 2015 after 12 years as a curator at the Tate Modern, Morgan brought very little to New York beyond books, clothes, and an enviable art collection, mostly gifts from artist friends.
    Wendy Goodman, Curbed, 21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Johnson maintains the slimmest of majorities in the House, and Democrats have already poured cold water on the idea.
    Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 18 Mar. 2026
  • Combine slim affordability with huge economic uncertainty, and the bottom line is that stunningly few house hunters are buying.
    Jonathan Lansner, Oc Register, 18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Even minor parks or embers might be carried into leaves or grass, kindling a fire that can swiftly expand.
    KANSAS CITY STAR WEATHER BOT, Kansas City Star, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Bowen signed as a minor-league free agent and excited the Padres this spring.
    Kevin Acee, San Diego Union-Tribune, 21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Kansas’ public officials should avoid the distractions of petty prejudices and focus on representing all their citizens.
    Darren Rosenblum, Mercury News, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Joe Cole, late of Peaky Blinders, plays Ethan, a former petty teen gangster from Las Vegas who has decamped to Los Angeles and made an honest man of himself.
    Richard Lawson, HollywoodReporter, 18 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • The Garden Grove Police Department’s traffic and crime prevention units teamed up Monday to offer the department’s first bike rodeo for the public, in hopes of teaching diminutive cyclists the rules of bicycling safely.
    Mindy Schauer, Oc Register, 16 Mar. 2026
  • Chinese-speaking netizens were amused by the story, and in particular the absurd display of cops escorting the diminutive android.
    Frank Landymore, Futurism, 12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Monday and Wednesday have a slight chance of showers, the forecast showed.
    Joe Marusak, Charlotte Observer, 22 Mar. 2026
  • Big Blue will have to overcome a slight halftime deficit to avoid a first-round upset.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Restaurants operate on a narrow margin.
    Jeanne Phillips, Dallas Morning News, 21 Mar. 2026
  • Google Maps suggests that the same narrow house is still there.
    Michael Barnes, Austin American Statesman, 20 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • Republicans have a tiny majority in the House, but a larger margin for error in the Senate, except for the filibuster.
    W. James Antle III, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
  • The tiny Kensington restaurant is a rare regional destination for the food of the archipelagos, a responsibility its owner does not take lightly.
    Elazar Sontag, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Small.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small. Accessed 25 Mar. 2026.

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