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 Less than a decade later, industry executives were beginning to worry about the potential risks posed by tiny plastic particles that could permeate organs in the body. — Daniel Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 4 Nov. 2026 McCarty’s six-point homelessness plan also called for securing state grants to build more substantial tiny homes as permanent supportive housing for older adults and veterans. — Jennah Pendleton, Sacbee.com, 4 Nov. 2026 The figure’s outstretched hand holds up a tiny fairy-like woman at eye level. — Artforum, 4 Nov. 2026 Those tiny codes and dates are what tell you whether your food is actually affected. — Ryan Brennan, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 4 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for tiny
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tiny
Adjective
  • The script for most of the text is Carolingian minuscule, a popular script from the 9th to the 12th century that was no longer the standard by the time the Codex Gigas was composed in the 13th century.
    — Laura Payne, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Oct. 2026
  • But SpaceX would just go from EPS that’s a minuscule negative to a tiny positive.
    — Shawn Tully, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Building similar performance onto photonic chips, which guide light through microscopic structures, has proved particularly challenging at blue wavelengths because even tiny manufacturing imperfections can scatter light and degrade performance.
    — Muskan Bhatia, Interesting Engineering, 30 Oct. 2026
  • From flaws and failures on a microscopic, cellular level, to the signs and symptoms of thousands of diseases, which appear to lurk on the sidelines waiting to wage war against us.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • In Paolo Veronese’s The Wedding at Cana (1563), the Louvre’s largest painting, a miniature brown-and-white lapdog stands on the biblical banquet table, partaking of the lavish meal set out for the guests.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 Oct. 2026
  • The spaceplane flies like a miniature unpiloted version of NASA’s Space Shuttle and reenters the atmosphere for an autonomous land runway landing at the end of each mission.
    — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 27 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • The Sun’s gravity confines dense plasma, while terrestrial machines must create conditions for useful fusion within a much smaller space.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 31 Oct. 2026
  • Ear seeding is a needle-free acupuncture technique that uses small beads held to the ear with adhesive to stimulate specific pressure points.
    — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 30 Oct. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Tiny.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tiny. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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