as in small
of a size that is less than average
a smallish row of bushes lining the yard
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Recent Examples of smallish
However, a lot of big houses have been built on smallish lots.
—
Richard Dahlberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Texas has tightened up its defense at the rim against a smallish NC State squad that likes to drive to the cup.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
The upstairs room, a supper club, is smallish and cheaply finished; the food is an afterthought, the party never-starting.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Most open up to a smallish balcony, just big enough for a book and coffee.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
The size of the audience in the smallish auditorium surprised me on a Friday morning.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
The slightly shiny, spring-ready sage green feels fresh, and the in-between size is just right for carrying all your smallish essentials.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
Surfers have been out in great numbers at this popular surf spot, thanks to smallish surf, somewhat warm water — by winter standards — and sunny skies after days of rain, meaning more beachgoers came across the stingrays and their pointy barbs.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 13 Jan. 2026
Evans forced the extra four minutes in its game when smallish senior guard Johnny Wright dribbled across the lane and banked in a clutch shot to tie the score 40-40.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
Richard Dahlberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Texas has tightened up its defense at the rim against a smallish NC State squad that likes to drive to the cup.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
The upstairs room, a supper club, is smallish and cheaply finished; the food is an afterthought, the party never-starting.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Most open up to a smallish balcony, just big enough for a book and coffee.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
The size of the audience in the smallish auditorium surprised me on a Friday morning.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
The slightly shiny, spring-ready sage green feels fresh, and the in-between size is just right for carrying all your smallish essentials.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
Surfers have been out in great numbers at this popular surf spot, thanks to smallish surf, somewhat warm water — by winter standards — and sunny skies after days of rain, meaning more beachgoers came across the stingrays and their pointy barbs.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 13 Jan. 2026
Evans forced the extra four minutes in its game when smallish senior guard Johnny Wright dribbled across the lane and banked in a clutch shot to tie the score 40-40.
—Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smallish
Adjective
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Some of the district's smallest elementary schools now serve only a couple of hundred students, limiting available resources.—
Da Lin,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
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Higher bond yields ripple through all kinds of credit markets, making everything from mortgages to small-business loans more expensive.—
Bart Jansen,
USA Today,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Each of those films also features a plucky, diminutive hero who succeeds in the face of naysayers—an easy figure for any kid watching to root for.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
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These ripe berries are alluringly red, uniformly speckled with dry, diminutive yellow seeds.—
Cathy Thomas,
Oc Register,
23 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Residents in the San Gabriel Valley are contending with a dramatic surge in black flies, a painful little pest known for biting around the eyes and necks of people and pets.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
28 Mar. 2026
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Plus, little baby leaves are thinner.—
AJ Willingham,
AJC.com,
28 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The plot pivots on tiny gestures involving matters of life and death.—
Richard Brody,
New Yorker,
27 Mar. 2026
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Each impact steals a tiny bit of the spacecraft’s speed, pushing it a smidgen closer to Earth.—
Meghan Bartels,
Scientific American,
26 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smallish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smallish. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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