1
as in little
of a size that is less than average
a small cat who never weighed more than five pounds
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in off
small in degree
your chances of winning the lottery are so small that it's best not to count on it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in minor
lacking importance
reluctant to bring such a small matter to the boss's attention
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in petty
not broad or open in views or opinions
townspeople who were helpful to one another but who also could be small and intolerant
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Try This Instead
Try This InsteadFor
Try This
a small amount
small changes
small pieces
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of small
Indeed, during this period, the very notion of Palestinian Arab nationalism was nascent and, as the historian Yehoshua Porath has pointed out, largely confined to a small minority of literate Arab Christians.
—
Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
Thought of as the smaller cousin, pygmy hippos are about half the size of common hippos, weighing less than one-fourth of a full-sized common hippo, according to the Pygmy Hippo Foundation.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 6 June 2025
The small harbor tugboat tows vessels to and from the Marine Group’s boat lift piers and docks.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
That most recently included TikTok star Griffin Johnson, who was given a small ownership stake in Derby and Preakness horse Sandman.
—Spencer Ripchik, Baltimore Sun, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for small
Sean Durns, The Washington Examiner, 6 June 2025
Thought of as the smaller cousin, pygmy hippos are about half the size of common hippos, weighing less than one-fourth of a full-sized common hippo, according to the Pygmy Hippo Foundation.
—Greta Cross, USA Today, 6 June 2025
The small harbor tugboat tows vessels to and from the Marine Group’s boat lift piers and docks.
—Rob Nikolewski, San Diego Union-Tribune, 6 June 2025
That most recently included TikTok star Griffin Johnson, who was given a small ownership stake in Derby and Preakness horse Sandman.
—Spencer Ripchik, Baltimore Sun, 6 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for small
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small
Adjective
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Her ensemble featured a simple yet striking little black dress with a semi-sheer bodice and a voluminous, inflated hemline, perfectly paired with dainty black mules and matching arm cuffs on both wrists.—
Mecca Pryor,
Essence,
10 June 2025
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Until recently, there was little doctors could do to address the lack of sperm needed to fertilize an egg, other than using donor sperm.—
Alice Park,
Time,
10 June 2025
Adjective
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Some takeaways from a successful series win ahead of an off day Thursday: Mayer heating up Mayer hasn’t even been in the majors for a month, but the 22-year-old has already hit three homers and is finding his groove.—
Jen McCaffrey,
New York Times,
12 June 2025
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Yet Shildt had a relatively rested back end of his bullpen and an off day coming up.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 June 2025
Adjective
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One allegedly threw a Molotov cocktail, and three deputies were struck, causing minor injuries, the department said.—
Ruben Vives,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2025
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Two Chicago firefighters and a teen suffered minor injuries Saturday afternoon during an apartment fire in the Lincoln Park neighborhood, according to the Chicago Fire Department.—
Rebecca Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
7 June 2025
Adjective
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Which party is willing to set aside petty differences and ego, and work in the interests of American prosperity?—
Reed Albergotti,
semafor.com,
6 June 2025
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This Christlike journey of scapegoating and torment ends in comeuppance for the haters and doubters, whose petty provocations tend to evoke a Bond villain in adolescence.—
Joshua Hunt,
Vulture,
5 June 2025
Adjective
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But what’s the ideal role for the speedy and diminutive Achane, an accomplished cutback runner and a can’t-be-ignored threat as a slot receiver?—
Chris Perkins,
Sun Sentinel,
14 May 2025
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Their double act had begun at secondary school, in North London, where Mulcahy protected the diminutive Duffy from bullies.—
Sarah Beckwith,
New Yorker,
26 May 2025
Adjective
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The Senate holds a slim majority, and at least four Senators, including Paul, have publicly expressed concerns over parts of the bill (the others are Ron Johnson, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski).—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
10 June 2025
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But once the Pratt Street location was chosen, Levy saw chances as slim.—
Kenneth R. Gosselin,
Hartford Courant,
8 June 2025
Adjective
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In a slight twist on the usual, the chefs not only get to choose their own sous-chefs, but only those sous-chefs have been flown to Italy for the occasion.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
13 June 2025
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Bure may not have meant it as a slight, but one of the more notable offenders was Growing Pains, which costarred her brother, Kirk Cameron.—
Jordan Hoffman,
EW.com,
13 June 2025
Adjective
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Yet somehow, all these factors, seemingly easily translatable across the world’s cuisines, has led to an intensely parochial guide.—
Tulasi Srinivas,
The Conversation,
3 June 2025
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This is a parochial political world, overshadowed by the federal bureaucracy.—
Cuneyt Dil,
Axios,
25 Nov. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Small.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small. Accessed 19 Jun. 2025.
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