variants
also dwarves
1
as in diminutives
a living thing much smaller than others of its kind
Shetland ponies are the dwarfs of the horse world
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in elves
an imaginary being usually having a small human form and magical powers
Snow White and the seven dwarfs
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in nobodies
a person of no importance or influence
it would be ridiculous to compare the two sculptors—one's a giant of the art world and the other's a dwarf
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in suppresses
to hold back the normal growth of
shrubs dwarfed by the lack of water
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 dwarfs
Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 26 Jan. 2026
Plus Brock and Sindri, the gear upgrade dwarves.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Iran has a grim history of crushing dissent, but the latest crackdown dwarfs anything seen during the repressive Islamic theocracy’s 47 years in power, evidence trickling out of Iran suggests.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
By 1938, the troupe of dwarves had begun to spend its winters in South Florida.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
As kobolds go, Heinzelmann was more harmless than most, going about his business protecting the castle from giants and dwarves and keeping the staff updated on faerie gossip, as well as protecting the chambermaids from unwelcome attentions from visiting noblemen.
—Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
Fighting off hordes of alien monstrosities AND digging for rare minerals in outer space as a crew of beer-swilling, ass kicking space dwarves?
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2025
And all these dwarves and elves and humans go, ‘What?
—Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2025
His social media footprint dwarfs that of even Timothée Chalamet.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Charles Duhigg, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Treat income as the leverage point The return on improving your skills, expanding your scope, building new earning streams, or stepping into higher-impact roles dwarfs the difference between a 6% or 8% market return.
—Sahil Bloom, CNBC, 24 Jan. 2026
The scale of the fraud in Minnesota dwarfs the roughly $100 million welfare scandal that rocked Mississippi from 2016 to 2019, embroiling former NFL quarterback Brett Favre in a civil lawsuit and sullying the state’s reputation for oversight.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 20 Jan. 2026
The magnitude of those gains dwarfs what the bottom 50% of households — the majority of the country — received during the same period.
—Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
This death toll likely dwarfs the number of protesters killed by the shah over the 13 months leading to the 1979 revolution.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2026
Miami’s dominant narrative of wealth and leisure dwarfs the memorial’s solemn claim.
—Alexandra Martinez, Artforum, 15 Jan. 2026
Abbott’s campaign bank balance is a chest-thumping number that dwarfs any other candidate’s fundraising figures for the latter half of 2025.
—Philip Jankowski, Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026
In scope, the planned stadium development dwarfs the 23 other projects Kansas has realized through its sales tax and revenue, or STAR bond, program since 1999.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026
Noun
The ditch that’s up to 19 feet deep dwarfs the heavy machinery inside of it.
—Eleanor Nash, Kansas City Star, 26 Jan. 2026
Plus Brock and Sindri, the gear upgrade dwarves.
—Paul Tassi, Forbes.com, 22 Jan. 2026
Iran has a grim history of crushing dissent, but the latest crackdown dwarfs anything seen during the repressive Islamic theocracy’s 47 years in power, evidence trickling out of Iran suggests.
—Alexander Smith, NBC news, 16 Jan. 2026
By 1938, the troupe of dwarves had begun to spend its winters in South Florida.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 25 Dec. 2025
As kobolds go, Heinzelmann was more harmless than most, going about his business protecting the castle from giants and dwarves and keeping the staff updated on faerie gossip, as well as protecting the chambermaids from unwelcome attentions from visiting noblemen.
—Literary Hub, 27 Oct. 2025
Fighting off hordes of alien monstrosities AND digging for rare minerals in outer space as a crew of beer-swilling, ass kicking space dwarves?
—Fran Ruiz, Space.com, 6 Oct. 2025
And all these dwarves and elves and humans go, ‘What?
—Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 2 Oct. 2025
His social media footprint dwarfs that of even Timothée Chalamet.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 5 Aug. 2025
Verb
Conservatives have also built a media ecosystem that dwarfs Democratic messaging.
—Charles Duhigg, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Treat income as the leverage point The return on improving your skills, expanding your scope, building new earning streams, or stepping into higher-impact roles dwarfs the difference between a 6% or 8% market return.
—Sahil Bloom, CNBC, 24 Jan. 2026
The scale of the fraud in Minnesota dwarfs the roughly $100 million welfare scandal that rocked Mississippi from 2016 to 2019, embroiling former NFL quarterback Brett Favre in a civil lawsuit and sullying the state’s reputation for oversight.
—The Denver Post Editorial Board, Denver Post, 20 Jan. 2026
The magnitude of those gains dwarfs what the bottom 50% of households — the majority of the country — received during the same period.
—Josh Boak, Los Angeles Times, 20 Jan. 2026
This death toll likely dwarfs the number of protesters killed by the shah over the 13 months leading to the 1979 revolution.
—Karim Sadjadpour, The Atlantic, 16 Jan. 2026
Miami’s dominant narrative of wealth and leisure dwarfs the memorial’s solemn claim.
—Alexandra Martinez, Artforum, 15 Jan. 2026
Abbott’s campaign bank balance is a chest-thumping number that dwarfs any other candidate’s fundraising figures for the latter half of 2025.
—Philip Jankowski, Dallas Morning News, 15 Jan. 2026
In scope, the planned stadium development dwarfs the 23 other projects Kansas has realized through its sales tax and revenue, or STAR bond, program since 1999.
—Matthew Kelly, Kansas City Star, 8 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dwarfs
Noun
-
The theft follows a similar incident in December, when members of the same group flooded into a Montreal grocery store dressed as Santa Clause and his elves, stealing food and leaving some of it gift-wrapped under a nearby Christmas tree.—
Max Saltman,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
-
One of Magnason’s first jobs was at the National Archives of Iceland, where he was surrounded by books about the old Norse gods, colonial histories, and even stories about elves.—
Marya E. Gates,
IndieWire,
27 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Where else could award winning writers pop off about nothing at all, and nobodies could rattle the ivory towers?—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
17 Nov. 2025
-
Professional athletes, however, aren’t nobodies.—
Joe Kozlowski,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 2025
Verb
-
The brain actively, but provisionally, suppresses the reward systems while in a time of plenty.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
13 Feb. 2026
-
By failing to promote these women, the economy suppresses their earnings trajectory, which directly suppresses the income tax revenue required to service the debt.—
Katica Roy,
Fortune,
10 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
From midgets to Indy cars, from sprint cars to stock cars, Stewart was at home behind the wheel.—
Edgar Thompson,
The Orlando Sentinel,
12 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Plans include music, magic shows, face painting, stilt walkers, fairies, robots, a giant LED screen showing the ball drop from Times Square and more.—
Marla Jo Fisher,
Oc Register,
29 Dec. 2025
-
If your favorite writer wishes they could be whisked away to the land of fairies and Björk and neighborhood hot springs, try cutting a large international corner with this bath product straight from the famous Blue Lagoon.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
Should any of these conditions not be met, the contract halts and notifies all relevant parties.—
Matthew Kayser,
Idaho Statesman,
20 Jan. 2026
-
Flights at New York City at LaGuardia Airport and JFK faced slight delays and halts Saturday afternoon.—
Nicholas Williams,
New York Daily News,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Henson was cast as Hoggle, one of the film’s most prominent goblins and Sarah’s reluctant ally, while also managing puppeteering responsibilities behind the scenes.—
Tereza Shkurtaj,
PEOPLE,
10 Jan. 2026
-
The kallikantzaroi are a group of blind, black goblins who live underground during most of the year sawing at the world tree – a motif throughout various folklores that connects the heavens to the Earth.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
20 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Monte Vista boasts a pair of solid lightweights in Alexa Malinis (100) and Katara Ortiz (105).—
Kevin J. Farmer,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
6 Feb. 2026
-
Hughes is one of the world's top lightweights in MMA, the sport where McGregor built his following and name.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
19 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Dwarfs.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dwarfs. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
