little 1 of 3

Definition of littlenext
1
2
3
4
5

little

2 of 3

adverb

little

3 of 3

noun

Synonym Chooser

How is the word little distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of little are diminutive, miniature, minute, small, and tiny. While all these words mean "noticeably below average in size," little is more absolute in implication often carrying the idea of petiteness, pettiness, insignificance, or immaturity.

your pathetic little smile

When is diminutive a more appropriate choice than little?

Although the words diminutive and little have much in common, diminutive implies abnormal smallness.

diminutive bonsai plants

In what contexts can miniature take the place of little?

The synonyms miniature and little are sometimes interchangeable, but miniature applies to an exactly proportioned reproduction on a very small scale.

a dollhouse with miniature furnishings

When would minute be a good substitute for little?

The words minute and little can be used in similar contexts, but minute implies extreme smallness.

a minute amount of caffeine in the soda

How are the words small and little related?

Both small and little are often interchangeable, but small applies more to relative size determined by capacity, value, number.

a relatively small backyard

How do tiny and minute relate to one another, in the sense of little?

Tiny is an informal equivalent to minute.

tiny cracks formed in the painting

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 little
Adjective
There is very little fruit and no refined sugars (the birch syrup in the mocktails is actually much nicer anyway). Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 May 2026 It’s been such a pleasure to be able to talk with other people who care as deeply about all these little details and then try to shape that into an experience that will reach a new, wide audience. Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 23 May 2026
Adverb
That’s little changed from 39 million last year. Matt Egan, CNN Money, 20 May 2026 The fire department was little more than a bucket brigade. Arkansas Online, 19 May 2026
Noun
Strong adults will let the littles (who really should not be skiing with their own poles yet in most cases) grab their pole. Moira McCarthy, Boston Herald, 25 Feb. 2026 There are a host of other things available to entertain your littles, tweens, and teens around town, including The Butterfly Conservatory, Eco-Discovery Center, Shipwreck Museum, and Truman Waterfront Park’s splash pad. Ronny Maye, Essence, 1 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for little
Recent Examples of Synonyms for little
Adjective
  • Living for today, everyone apparently agreed, was characteristic of a youth culture that was dropping out from a system and society responsible for cutting life short both at home and abroad.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 26 May 2026
  • In previous cases, humans exposed to the product have reported both short and long-term respiratory effects.
    Dinah Voyles Pulver, USA Today, 25 May 2026
Adjective
  • The National Federation of Independent Business has warned that small businesses and consumers who rely on energy, rather than oil giants, will end up holding the bag.
    Yaël Ossowski, Boston Herald, 30 May 2026
  • But as funding from cap-and-invest and the climate bond dwindle, the state must increasingly turn to Cal Fire, which devotes only a small portion of its budget to mitigation work.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 May 2026
Adjective
  • Malaysian diver Lee Kian Lie told CNN that rescue divers were teaching the villagers how to dive out of the cave themselves, as the space is narrow and water levels are not coming down despite efforts to pump the water out.
    CNN Money, CNN Money, 30 May 2026
  • Delegates to the state conventions don’t mirror the broader electorate, and their candidate selections can often represent more narrow preference of the party base.
    Alex Derosier, Twin Cities, 29 May 2026
Adjective
  • One option considered was the former Burnley and Everton manager Sean Dyche, whose brief stint at Nottingham Forest already felt doomed.
    Matt Woosnam, New York Times, 28 May 2026
  • The suspect ran from officers but was arrested after a brief pursuit, according to police.
    Jason Green, Mercury News, 28 May 2026
Adjective
  • Winifried — whose preferred diminutive, also the name of the demon inside her, is Fred, not Winnie — isn’t the one being spooked here.
    David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 22 May 2026
  • That is what these playoffs have provided for Hutson, allowing more eyeballs to take in the well-roundedness of his game despite his diminutive size and his flashy offensive skills that can often divert the attention of those eyeballs elsewhere.
    Arpon Basu, New York Times, 21 May 2026
Adverb
  • The Shenzhou spacecraft is similar to, but also slightly larger than, Russia's Soyuz crew spacecraft.
    Andrew Jones, Space.com, 24 May 2026
  • The Golden Nugget Atlantic City offers a slightly more low-key alternative to some of the larger casino resorts nearby.
    Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 May 2026
Adverb
  • Writers have afforded Monroe the grace and status in death that she was rarely afforded in life.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2026
  • Still, transport aircraft rarely need this setup, so the idea of a combat role is hard to dismiss.
    Sujita Sinha, Interesting Engineering, 25 May 2026
Noun
  • Northwestern let a little bit of suspense creep in during the second half of its NCAA Tournament semifinal Friday evening at Martin Stadium.
    Colleen Kane, Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2026
  • Leicester did their bit, eventually winning 2-1, but Everton were also leading 1-0 — until a fake rumour circulated inside the stadium that Bournemouth had levelled the scores.
    Elias Burke, New York Times, 23 May 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Little.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/little. Accessed 30 May. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on little

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster