as in small
lacking importance
some small-fry official in the state government with a big-time ego
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Recent Examples of small-fry
Ridley Scott directs Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura in the first episode of a tale in which two small-fry thieves rob a drug den and become the target of a relentless kingpin.
—
Shauna Lyon, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
Cassatt achieved hers by changing mediums; by experimenting with colors; and by being perversely drawn to small-fry subject matter, then mining it from all angles.
—Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 27 June 2024
For small-fry investors and big money managers alike, the psychological toll of falling behind creates pressure, particularly for those sticking with the playbook.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune, 10 June 2024
Brad Heppner had the grand idea of bringing investment opportunities enjoyed by Wall Street institutions to small-fry investors.
—Alexander Gladstone, WSJ, 28 July 2023
Shauna Lyon, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
Cassatt achieved hers by changing mediums; by experimenting with colors; and by being perversely drawn to small-fry subject matter, then mining it from all angles.
—Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 27 June 2024
For small-fry investors and big money managers alike, the psychological toll of falling behind creates pressure, particularly for those sticking with the playbook.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune, 10 June 2024
Brad Heppner had the grand idea of bringing investment opportunities enjoyed by Wall Street institutions to small-fry investors.
—Alexander Gladstone, WSJ, 28 July 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small-fry
Adjective
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In North Carolina, a brush fire in the mountains was threatening Tryon and Saluda, small communities in the Blue Ridge Mountains about 40 miles south of Asheville.—
Amy Graff,
New York Times,
2 Mar. 2025
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Beneath that ice, the light sensors recorded an astronomically small number of photons: an upper range of 0.04 micromoles per square meter per second, a number very close to the theoretical minimum amount of light that photosynthesis can run on.—
Asher Elbein,
WIRED,
2 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The cab driver suffered minor back and neck injuries in the crash and claimed Zangrilli was drunk but the responding officer sent the inspector on his way, telling the cabbie to file an accident report at an NYPD precinct.—
Thomas Tracy,
New York Daily News,
4 Mar. 2025
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According to a statement from the Danville Police Department, the drivers of both vehicles suffered minor injuries, while two other passengers in the truck were unhurt.—
Rick Hurd,
The Mercury News,
4 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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The order’s vague framework has sparked concerns, particularly as Trump’s March 7, 2025, Crypto Summit is set to feature a narrow circle of industry elites, with little representation from diverse perspectives or consumer advocates.—
Tonya M. Evans,
Forbes,
7 Mar. 2025
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Dolly Parton and Carl Dean had one of the entertainment industry's most enduring marriages, but very little is known about the country music legend's late husband.—
Ashley Hume,
Fox News,
7 Mar. 2025
Articles Related to small-fry
Cite this Entry
“Small-fry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small-fry. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
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