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miniature

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noun

as in reproduction
an exact representation of something in greatly reduced size a diorama filled with miniatures of town buildings as they looked in the 19th century

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word miniature distinct from other similar adjectives?

Some common synonyms of miniature are diminutive, little, minute, small, and tiny. While all these words mean "noticeably below average in size," miniature applies to an exactly proportioned reproduction on a very small scale.

a dollhouse with miniature furnishings

When might diminutive be a better fit than miniature?

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

diminutive bonsai plants

When can little be used instead of miniature?

The synonyms little and miniature are sometimes interchangeable, but little is more absolute in implication often carrying the idea of petiteness, pettiness, insignificance, or immaturity.

your pathetic little smile

In what contexts can minute take the place of miniature?

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

a minute amount of caffeine in the soda

How do small and little relate to one another, in the sense of miniature?

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

a relatively small backyard

How are the words tiny and minute related as synonyms of miniature?

Tiny is an informal equivalent to minute.

tiny cracks formed in the painting

Examples 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 miniature
Adjective
The miniature ramp was then digitally removed in postproduction. Hilton Dresden, The Hollywood Reporter, 26 Dec. 2024 To explore the relationship between memory retention and sleep, researchers at the university asked 35 English-speaking adults to study Mini Pinyin, a miniature language based on Mandarin. Maureen MacKey, Fox News, 6 Jan. 2025
Noun
Architecture New York City Model Kit Adult Lego-lovers will appreciate this model kit of New York City, which includes iconic builds of the Empire State, Flatiron, Chrysler, and One World Trade Center Buildings, as well as a miniature of the Statue of Liberty. Mia Huelsbeck, People.com, 28 Nov. 2024 The Grow Room is in some ways a miniature of the already popular detox retreat. Kim Velsey, Curbed, 25 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for miniature 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miniature
Adjective
  • For what’s known as PM2.5 pollution, or tiny inhalable particles of smoke and dust, a PurpleAir sensor located south of Los Angeles International Airport simultaneously returned on Monday an air quality index of 28 on AirNow’s website, 20 on WatchDuty, and 5 on PurpleAir’s official page.
    Paresh Dave, WIRED, 16 Jan. 2025
  • Despite their immense size, these gentle giants are filter feeders, primarily consuming plankton, small fish, and other tiny organisms by swimming with their mouths open to filter food from the water.
    Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • In the wild, cats faced the challenge of limited prey, which favored only the most skilled hunters for survival and reproduction.
    Michael Gfoeller And David H. Rundell, Newsweek, 14 Jan. 2025
  • Here, a reproduction of the article that ran in Women’s Wear Daily on July 20, 1956, including Dior’s thoughts on the WWD’s support of him and its succinct coverage of all things informing the fashion industry 365 days of the year.
    WWD Staff, WWD, 10 Jan. 2025
Adjective
  • The minuscule creature is a baby from the species Neolithodes agassizii, a type of king crab.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 10 Jan. 2025
  • Riggs won reelection by 734 votes — a minuscule margin of victory that was confirmed by two recounts.
    Doug Bock Clark, ProPublica, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • The elaborate queue for the ride is set in a bank vault but the real highlight is right outside where there's a mini replica of Fremont Street in Sin City.
    Caroline Reid, Forbes, 18 Jan. 2025
  • The highly accurate set comes with a replica of the stylish three-story house, every floor brimming with rooms and accessories inspired by key scenes from across the franchise, including Edward’s bedroom and the grand piano in the living room.
    Gil Macias, People.com, 16 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Since sharing the video in July, the clip has received more than 350,000 views and spawned numerous imitations.
    The New York Times, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Jan. 2025
  • They’re played by Monica Barbaro (now a SAG nominee for her performance) and Boyd Holbrook with a loose reverence for the actual people, with performances that, instead of imitation, take cues from the music itself.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 8 Jan. 2025
Noun
  • Advertisement The data used to fuel the AI models comes from the league’s Next Gen Stats, which tracks all players and provides analytics data.
    Joe Reedy, Los Angeles Times, 11 Jan. 2025
  • For example, the ongoing Framingham Heart Study, which began in 1948, yielded a mathematical model to estimate a patient’s coronary artery disease risk based on their individual health information, rather than the average population risk.
    Aaron J. Masino, The Conversation, 10 Jan. 2025

Thesaurus Entries Near miniature

Cite this Entry

“Miniature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miniature. Accessed 21 Jan. 2025.

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