as in small
of a size that is less than average
a smallish row of bushes lining the yard
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Recent Examples of smallish
In general, vegetables should be sliced or cut into smallish pieces and precooked.
—
Georgeanne Brennan, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
However, a lot of big houses have been built on smallish lots.
—Richard Dahlberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Texas has tightened up its defense at the rim against a smallish NC State squad that likes to drive to the cup.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
The upstairs room, a supper club, is smallish and cheaply finished; the food is an afterthought, the party never-starting.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Most open up to a smallish balcony, just big enough for a book and coffee.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
The size of the audience in the smallish auditorium surprised me on a Friday morning.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
The slightly shiny, spring-ready sage green feels fresh, and the in-between size is just right for carrying all your smallish essentials.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
Surfers have been out in great numbers at this popular surf spot, thanks to smallish surf, somewhat warm water — by winter standards — and sunny skies after days of rain, meaning more beachgoers came across the stingrays and their pointy barbs.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 13 Jan. 2026
Georgeanne Brennan, Mercury News, 26 Mar. 2026
However, a lot of big houses have been built on smallish lots.
—Richard Dahlberg, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Mar. 2026
Texas has tightened up its defense at the rim against a smallish NC State squad that likes to drive to the cup.
—Thomas Jones, Austin American Statesman, 18 Mar. 2026
The upstairs room, a supper club, is smallish and cheaply finished; the food is an afterthought, the party never-starting.
—Helen Rosner, New Yorker, 1 Mar. 2026
Most open up to a smallish balcony, just big enough for a book and coffee.
—Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Feb. 2026
The size of the audience in the smallish auditorium surprised me on a Friday morning.
—Pete Hammond, Deadline, 30 Jan. 2026
The slightly shiny, spring-ready sage green feels fresh, and the in-between size is just right for carrying all your smallish essentials.
—Annie Blackman, InStyle, 13 Jan. 2026
Surfers have been out in great numbers at this popular surf spot, thanks to smallish surf, somewhat warm water — by winter standards — and sunny skies after days of rain, meaning more beachgoers came across the stingrays and their pointy barbs.
—Laylan Connelly, Oc Register, 13 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for smallish
Adjective
-
The cab’s dark interior seems to lure Rauschenberg in, but perhaps he was also drawn to the small round window, like a porthole, above the seat, which looks out at the distance behind the carriage.—
Hilton Als,
New Yorker,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Consider reshuffling your to-do list, because a small shift could save money and protect your energy.—
Tarot.com,
Baltimore Sun,
4 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The device is powered by a rather diminutive 4,050-mAh silicon-carbon battery that supports 33-W charging.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
28 Mar. 2026
-
Each of those films also features a plucky, diminutive hero who succeeds in the face of naysayers—an easy figure for any kid watching to root for.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
26 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
But with Spokane creating little offensively, Andema laid the ball off along his own end line to defender Moussa Ndiaye to start a chaotic sequence that ended with the ball in the back of Boise’s net.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Apr. 2026
-
In the ’90s, the peninsula was taken over by a string of summer-only nightclubs, with little regard for the natural surroundings or the ancient cemetery buried in the pine forest.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Its tulle is brittle and sharp, brushing against my fur like a thousand tiny teeth, a cruel lover that bites with every move.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The astronauts' cells have been placed on tiny chips and distributed throughout the capsule in an effort to understand these effects in greater detail.—
Brendan Byrne,
NPR,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Smallish.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/smallish. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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