SMALL-TIME Synonyms: 74 Similar and Opposite Words

small-time

adjective

Definition of small-time

as in petty

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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-time No actress this century has been able to match Hathaway's slinky, shifty take on small-time thief Selina Kyle, aka Catwoman. — Patrick Ryan, USA Today, 15 Aug. 2026 As a young man, Brun was pulled deep into this scene, becoming a small-time dealer and user. — Guthrie Scrimgeour, Rolling Stone, 2 Aug. 2026 Bakley was 23 years younger than Blake, a small-time hustler who sold dirty photos of herself to old men and ran a lonely hearts scam. — Los Angeles Times, 30 July 2026 Magdalen, living with her mother’s relative, Captain Horatio Wragge, a small-time crook, becomes a successful actress. — Literary Hub, 24 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for small-time

Recent Examples of Synonyms for small-time

Adjective

Stanley’s co-defendant, unsuccessful county commissioner candidate and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools bus driver Heather Morrow, was found guilty of the petty offenses and the misdemeanor assault charge.

— Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 7 Oct. 2026
Letts makes the most of his brief screen time as a manipulator whose petty genius lies in creating an artificial scarcity for his affections.

— Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 1 Oct. 2026

Definition of petty

Adjective

Matter is never worthless, but assigning it a price does not necessarily make its environmental and social costs disappear.

— Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026
Fraud tools aren’t worthless, but too many merchants discover their limitations the hard way.

— Wayne Hamilton, Forbes.com, 25 Sep. 2026

Definition of worthless

Adjective

So, yes, Mercedes is not afraid to nickel-and-dime anyone with their compact sedan.

— Adam Ismail, The Drive, 11 June 2026
Full-service hotels like Marriott and InterContinental still offer a more inclusive experience, and international airlines like Qatar Airways don't nickel-and-dime you for luggage.

— Christopher Elliott, USA Today, 21 Oct. 2025

Definition of nickel-and-dime

Adjective

And while this has now become a one-horse race, with that proposal carrying the day heading into a May 28 vote at the league’s next Board of Governors meeting, there are still more discussions — and possible changes — to come.

— Sam Amick, New York Times, 5 May 2026
McCarthy moved to his current studio in 2012, and around then, bought land out in the Tehachapi Mountains to serve as Wild West backdrops, not unlike the early film studios buying up tumbleweed stables in Topanga to serve as facsimiles of one-horse towns to shoot westerns.

— Nate Freeman, Vanity Fair, 25 Feb. 2026

Definition of one-horse

Browse Nearby Words

small talk

small-time

small-timer

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“Small-time.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small-time. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of small-time

adjective

Example Sentences

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