as in small
lacking importance
some small-fry official in the state government with a big-time ego
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Recent Examples of small-fry
Ridley Scott directs Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura in the first episode of a tale in which two small-fry thieves rob a drug den and become the target of a relentless kingpin.
—
Shauna Lyon, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
Cassatt achieved hers by changing mediums; by experimenting with colors; and by being perversely drawn to small-fry subject matter, then mining it from all angles.
—Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 27 June 2024
For small-fry investors and big money managers alike, the psychological toll of falling behind creates pressure, particularly for those sticking with the playbook.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune, 10 June 2024
Brad Heppner had the grand idea of bringing investment opportunities enjoyed by Wall Street institutions to small-fry investors.
—Alexander Gladstone, WSJ, 28 July 2023
Shauna Lyon, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
Cassatt achieved hers by changing mediums; by experimenting with colors; and by being perversely drawn to small-fry subject matter, then mining it from all angles.
—Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 27 June 2024
For small-fry investors and big money managers alike, the psychological toll of falling behind creates pressure, particularly for those sticking with the playbook.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune, 10 June 2024
Brad Heppner had the grand idea of bringing investment opportunities enjoyed by Wall Street institutions to small-fry investors.
—Alexander Gladstone, WSJ, 28 July 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small-fry
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
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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
Adjective
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Aside from the three fatalities, four people were hospitalized including two men, both 35, who were in critical condition, and two other men, 37 and 38, who sustained minor injuries, according to the fire department.—
Karen Garcia,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Feb. 2026
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Of the more than 70,000 people currently in immigration detention facilities, only about 25% of them have any kind of criminal conviction, which can include traffic violations and other minor offenses, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse, which tracks detention data.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA Today,
7 Feb. 2026
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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Small-fry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small-fry. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.
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