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
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
Hagens slipped down the board, but the B’s jumped at the chance to nab the smallish, but highly-skilled centerman.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
And garnering this smallish corner of the market is intrinsic to the brand’s identity.
—Brett Berk, Robb Report, 7 Nov. 2025
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
Hagens slipped down the board, but the B’s jumped at the chance to nab the smallish, but highly-skilled centerman.
—Steve Conroy, Boston Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
And garnering this smallish corner of the market is intrinsic to the brand’s identity.
—Brett Berk, Robb Report, 7 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smallish
Adjective
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Although discrepancies are smaller in data-rich regions such as Western Europe and the eastern United States, where robust local monitoring has kept projections more closely calibrated, the study identifies the West Coast of North America as a region where sea levels have also been underestimated.—
Marcos Magaña,
Los Angeles Times,
7 Mar. 2026
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Violas have smaller flowers and stay shorter.—
Chris McKeown,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Similarly diminutive and affordable chicken wraps rolled out at Sonic and Popeyes.—
Yasmin Tayag,
The Atlantic,
3 Mar. 2026
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The diminutive guard is a terrific athlete who can sky around the rim as well as burst his way by opposing defenders.—
Sam Vecenie,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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The historic district is just a few blocks wide, with the Gulf on one side, the Intracoastal on the other, and a walkable little downtown dotted with shops and galleries in between.—
Carrie Honaker,
Travel + Leisure,
8 Mar. 2026
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When three Bruins starters — Lauren Betts, Gabriela Jaquez and Charlisse Leger-Walker — joined the UCLA dance team for a halftime performance at a men’s basketball game on March 3, Leger-Walker viewed it as just a fun little bonding moment and an expansion of the team’s intentional joy.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
8 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Interestingly, these tiny wonders can detect a temperature spike in 100 nanoseconds.—
Mrigakshi Dixit,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Mar. 2026
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Two tiny humanoid robots that can play soccer stand in a glass case, one blinking and gesturing at visitors and the other partially disassembled to reveal the engineering inside.—
Miriam Fauzia,
Dallas Morning News,
5 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smallish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smallish. Accessed 9 Mar. 2026.
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