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
Then again, that’s a smallish sample size and there were some true bangers in the years right before, so the jury is still out.
—
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
By 1900, the Irish-speaking areas were a ragged patchwork of smallish standalone zones, clinging to the island’s western and southern shores.
—
Big Think,
4 May 2026
That’s roughly the mass of a smallish rocky asteroid, perhaps four or five kilometers in diameter.
—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
24 Apr. 2026
In general, vegetables should be sliced or cut into smallish pieces and precooked.
—
Georgeanne Brennan,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
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
Sean McIndoe,
New York Times,
5 June 2026
By 1900, the Irish-speaking areas were a ragged patchwork of smallish standalone zones, clinging to the island’s western and southern shores.
—
Big Think,
4 May 2026
That’s roughly the mass of a smallish rocky asteroid, perhaps four or five kilometers in diameter.
—
Phil Plait,
Scientific American,
24 Apr. 2026
In general, vegetables should be sliced or cut into smallish pieces and precooked.
—
Georgeanne Brennan,
Mercury News,
26 Mar. 2026
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smallish
Adjective
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Name the worry out loud, then choose a small boundary that protects your energy, such as turning off notifications during a demanding task.
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People milled about clutching small rainbow flags from the human rights organization Outright International.
Adjective
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And a scene depicting a barroom brawl among little people, interrupted by similarly diminutive cops and paramedics, feels like it could have been devised by Buñuel.
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The diminutive menu contained just three sandwiches, two salads and a single dessert.
Adjective
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Yet at the individual and family level, there was little.
-
For example, when the question comes up if a certain weird little alien on a space bus who sounds unmistakably like Seth Rogen is actually Rogen.
Adjective
-
Merlin, a 2-year-old duck, has taken the internet by storm, captivating fans with his tiny form-fitting Team Mexico jersey and confident waddle around his home of Mexico City.
-
Providing indefinite joy for the price of just one night at a hotel, this Instagram-worthy blow-up shelter is practically a portable tiny home that sets up within a few minutes.
Cite this Entry
“Smallish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smallish. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.
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