Definition of tinynext

Synonym Chooser

How is the word tiny distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of tiny are diminutive, little, miniature, minute, and small. While all these words mean "noticeably below average in size," tiny is an informal equivalent to minute.

tiny cracks formed in the painting

When could diminutive be used to replace tiny?

While in some cases nearly identical to tiny, diminutive implies abnormal smallness.

diminutive bonsai plants

When is little a more appropriate choice than tiny?

The meanings of little and tiny largely overlap; however, little is more absolute in implication often carrying the idea of petiteness, pettiness, insignificance, or immaturity.

your pathetic little smile

When might miniature be a better fit than tiny?

The words miniature and tiny can be used in similar contexts, but miniature applies to an exactly proportioned reproduction on a very small scale.

a dollhouse with miniature furnishings

When can minute be used instead of tiny?

Although the words minute and tiny have much in common, minute implies extreme smallness.

a minute amount of caffeine in the soda

How do small and little relate to one another, in the sense of tiny?

Both small and little are often interchangeable, but small applies more to relative size determined by capacity, value, number.

a relatively small backyard

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 tiny Each nail is accented by a tiny pearl at the base, serving as the perfect cherry on top of an already gorgeous look. Kara Jillian Brown, InStyle, 26 Feb. 2026 Bright white lilies and deep red roses covered a tiny white casket, not even big enough to carry all his toys. Julian Roberts-Grmela, New York Daily News, 26 Feb. 2026 These are great options for marking off smaller nooks and tinier zones in a large room. Ashley Chalmers, The Spruce, 26 Feb. 2026 Under dark skies, a telescope with an aperture of 8 inches (200 millimeters) or more can reveal its tiny bluish disk. Anthony Wood, Space.com, 26 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tiny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tiny
Adjective
  • With no functional magnetosphere, Mars’ surface radiation is nearly as intense as in deep space, and the paper-thin atmosphere provides little protection from even minuscule meteorites.
    Big Think, Big Think, 19 Feb. 2026
  • Okawara sculpted Beyoncé's nails into a long almond shape with a neutral base color, then detailed each nail with its own minuscule design.
    Kara Nesvig, Allure, 17 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Alna’s thin and fragile skeleton was so well preserved that the researchers were able to conduct histological examination, studying microscopic bone structures.
    Reuters, NBC news, 26 Feb. 2026
  • Upstairs at Sperm Racing HQ is a lab stocked with racks of test tubes, centrifuges for separating out the most motile sperm from a sample, and little plastic slides containing new microscopic racecourses for frat-boy cum.
    Sam Kriss, Harpers Magazine, 24 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Big fun will arrive in tiny packages at the eighth annual Dairy Block Petite Parade, which plays off Mardi Gras and features miniature floats built from a shoebox base, and pulled on wheels.
    John Wenzel, Denver Post, 26 Feb. 2026
  • The 18-course Devoro tasting menu (290 Euros, or around $340), which lasts three-and-a-half hours in the serving, is a fascinating fiesta of miniature dishes in which Salazar’s Andalusian origins mix and match with island inspirations.
    Paul Richardson, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Feb. 2026
Adjective
  • Published in the journal Matter, the underlying mechanisms behind the inferior photochemical of polymer acceptor and develops a method to enhance both efficiency and stability through small-molecule incorporation.
    Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 28 Feb. 2026
  • February storms brought fresh snow to the Sierra Nevada, but California’s snowpack remains far smaller than average during a winter that has brought record warmth across much of the West.
    Ian James, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Tiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tiny. Accessed 3 Mar. 2026.

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