small fortune

noun

: a surprisingly or unexpectedly large amount of money

They spent a small fortune on redecorating their house.

Examples of small fortune in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

From 1853 to 1858, the youngest brother, John, made a small fortune by going to Hangtown, now called Placerville, in California’s Gold Country and making wheelbarrows and other mining equipment for prospectors. —David Krumboltz, The Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2024

Their base monthly pay from Wagner of around $2,000 constituted a small fortune in much of Russia. —Milana Mazaeva, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2024

Lodging books early, prices surge, rental cars run out, and those who fail to plan in advance are often left high and dry—or forced to spend a small fortune. —Maya Silver, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Apr. 2024

Instead, the Des Moines lottery player kept scratching her ticket — uncovering a small fortune. —Mike Stunson, Kansas City Star, 8 Apr. 2024

Why did the Burbank Democrat spend a small fortune boosting Garvey’s name recognition and blanketing the airwaves with ads that touted the former first baseman’s conservative credentials? —David Daley, The Mercury News, 14 Mar. 2024

To be able to afford the fees is a pipe dream for most families in Gaza, living in poverty, and a small fortune even for well-to-do Palestinians who have fled their homes and struggle to obtain basic necessities during the war. —Daniel Estrin, NPR, 2 Mar. 2024

Shelton said working with an attorney to push an eviction through the court system will take months and cost a small fortune in legal fees and lost rent. —Jack Flemming, Los Angeles Times, 12 Mar. 2024

Chowdhury had made a small fortune through his position in Neutronics. —Elliot Ackerman, WIRED, 6 Feb. 2024