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small

small

1.0
Not large in size or amount
  • adjective
  • /smɔl/
translation icon : pequeño
  • Great things are done by a series of small things brought together.
  • a small group
  • small size
  • a small number

So again, this is a small point all right?

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Examples

  • Now, my point is, the small things matter.

  • I lived in, you know, a small home in South Austin.

  • If you cannot do great things, do small things in a great way.

  • See, just make a few, small adjustments in your report.

  • First, the sample size for Tier 3 was small, which might have influenced the results.

    Academic text (2013)
  • Before 2004, the available extra payments were relatively small in comparison to overall practice budgets.

    Academic text (2012)
  • It all started in the small rural town of the UK.

  • Two days after you were convicted, he paid off the balance on his small-business loan.

  • It was beginning to get dark when they spied a small light coming from a house.

  • The kitten was so small that it could fit in my hand.

Synonyms

little
vssmall
1.0

Small in size or amount, often used to show care

is the neutral general word for limited size, amount, or importance
tiny
vssmall
1.0

So small it can fit in your hand

is less strong, covering ordinary cases of limited size or amount
minor
vssmall
600 2.4

Not very important or serious

includes lower importance but also limited physical size or amount
slight
vssmall
594 1.2

Small in amount or degree

emphasizes degree rather than physical size or general limitation
minimal
vssmall
196 3.3

Very small in amount or degree

is less strict, covering any limited amount or modest size
modest
vssmall
192 3.3

Not large or showy, often simple and limited in amount

is the general word for limited amount without specific style
miniature
vssmall
101 3.6

Very small in size compared with the usual type

means not large but does not insist on being far smaller than usual
teeny
vssmall
  • Informal
78 1.0

Very small in size so you can hold it in one hand

is the general term for limited size or amount without slang
bitty
vssmall
  • Informal
58 8.1

Very small, like a baby mouse

is the plain word for limited size without the informal tone
small-time
vssmall
47 5.9

Not important and not well known, often used for people or small businesses

is the neutral word for limited importance or size without the dismissive tone
minuscule
vssmall
37 4.4

Very small in size or amount

is the broader term for being not large without extreme emphasis
negligible
vssmall
31 5.6

Very small or unimportant and not worth worrying about

is broader, covering limited size or importance without ignoring relevance
small-scale
vssmall
30 2.7

Used for projects or models that are not large

is the general adjective for limited size, amount, or importance
measly
vssmall
  • Informal
29 6.3

Too small to be useful

simply denotes limited amount without the negative judgment of insufficiency
diminutive
vssmall
20 6.8

Very small in size

is the standard word for limited size without the notable tininess
smallish
vssmall
10 2.0

A little smaller than usual

is the broad term for being not large in size or amount
teeny-weeny
vssmall
  • Informal
8 6.3

A very small thing that is much smaller than usual

is the neutral descriptor for limited size or amount without informality
undersized
vssmall
8 3.3

Smaller than the normal size for its kind

is the wider term for limited size that may be typical
pint-sized
vssmall
  • Informal
7 4.2

Very small, often used for a person, animal, or thing that is lively

is the inclusive term for limited size, not necessarily surprising
micro
vssmall
4 5.1

Very small in size, amount, or effect

is broader, covering ordinary limited size, amount, or importance
scanty
vssmall
2 6.6

A small amount or number that is barely enough

covers limited amount neutrally, not emphasizing lack or insufficiency
dwarfish
vssmall
1 7.2

Much smaller than what is normal or expected

is the general descriptor for limited size without unusual comparison
miniscule
vssmall
  • US
1 4.3

Very small and easy to miss

covers general limited size or amount rather than extreme tininess
mini
vssmall
3.3

Much smaller than other things of the same kind

is the general adjective for limited size, not a reduced model specifically
lilliputian
vssmall
9.9

Very small or unimportant

is the normal word for limited size without the exaggerated tone
menudo
vssmall
  • Literature
9.8

Small in size or not very important

is the general term for limited size or amount without regional flavor

Antonyms

1.0

Bigger than average in size, number, or amount

1.0

Very large in size, amount, or degree

2.5

Important and big enough to make a difference

Idioms

A difficult and impressive achievement

4 7.7

Worry too much about small, unimportant things

1 5.5

An important person in a small group who has more power than elsewhere

small wonder
  • Informal
1 4.4

Not surprising because the facts make it clear

1 9.3

People print words very small in documents to hide important details

You do a little at a time instead of trying everything at once

A small action that leads to a very large benefit for all people

Compounds

245 1.5

A community with few people and few shops

small talk
  • Informal
65 2.1

Polite short talk about simple topics like the weather

30 2.7

Used for projects or models that are not large

small arm
  • Specialized
20 4.9

A gun like a handgun or rifle that a person can carry

17 3.3

A large amount of money that is more than you expect

13 1.0

A boat that is small and used for short trips on lakes or rivers

11 2.8

A person who owns or runs a small company with fewer than 100 employees

10 2.3

A small amount of money in coins that is not worth much

small intestine
  • Specialized
10 3.4

A long narrow tube between the stomach and large bowel that digests food and takes in nutrients

9 2.0

A person who owns or works on a small farm to grow food

9 1.0

A small extra payment you give to use a service

5 1.8

A person who is shorter than most people and has a light build

5 3.8

Important details in an agreement or document printed in very small type

Part of the United States government that helps small businesses with loans and advice

4 4.9

A very early time in the morning soon after midnight

small-cap
  • Specialized
4 7.0

A company or stock with a small market value, often under one billion dollars

2 4.4

Wild animals like rabbits and pheasants that people hunt for food or sport

1 1.9

A letter that is not a capital letter

small cap
  • Specialized
1 6.3

A company on the stock market with a small market value

small fry
  • Offensive
1 6.9

People or groups seen as unimportant compared to others

1 6.3

An inner feeling that quietly tells you right from wrong

A small problem when people do not understand each other

A warm, friendly feeling in a small town where people know each other

small beer
  • Archaic
1 7.9

Something unimportant and not worth much attention

small cap
  • Specialized
1 6.9

A capital letter the same height as a small letter used for style

Animals like chickens or rabbits that people keep for eggs, meat and money

small fry
  • Informal
1 7.4

Young children who are not yet adults

small stuff
  • Specialized
1 8.6

A thin rope on a ship used for small tasks like tying or securing

1 5.8

With wings that are small for its body

small calorie
  • Specialized
6.3

Amount of heat that raises one gram of water by one degree Celsius at normal air pressure

5.8

A grass like reeds that grows in wet places like marshes, often in the southern United States

small capital
  • Specialized
7.7

A letter that looks like a big letter but is the height of a small letter used for emphasis

A low trailing plant of cold places that makes small red berries you can eat

A rude word for someone, often a man, who acts loud and angry to hide low confidence

small cell carcinoma
  • Specialized
6.7

A very serious cancer made of small round cells that grows and spreads quickly in the lungs

A small animal like a cat that is active at night and lives in Southeast Asian forests

A common way to connect a computer to devices like printers or hard drives

A tiny, not exact bit of something

An activity of searching for and shooting small wild animals and birds for food or sport

A company that gives small loans to people who cannot get bank loans

8.8

A small irregular galaxy near the Milky Way that you can see from the Southern Hemisphere

8.1

A shop on a ship where sailors buy personal items taken from their pay

small man syndrome
  • Offensive
8.2

A man who acts overly aggressive to hide feeling weak or less important

small slam
  • Jargon
9.2

A bridge result when players win all but one trick in a hand

small white aster
  • Specialized
8.7

A small plant that comes back each year with white daisy-like flowers

A baby who is much smaller and lighter than usual for their pregnancy length

A plant that produces small fruit

small-capitalization
  • Specialized
7.9

Of companies worth less than one billion dollars

An animal with ears that are small for its head

A large European tree with small dark green leaves often planted in parks

small-leaved linden
  • Specialized
8.1

A large European tree with small dark green leaves grown for its shade and beauty

A plant or crop with smaller parts inside its fruit than other kinds

5.1

Very small bits of dirty matter in the air that come from smoke and engines and can harm people's health

A belief in small communities that favors tradition and close relationships

A quiet inner feeling that tells you when something is wrong

How Big

immense
141 3.7
huge
1.0
large
1.0
big
1.0
medium
162 1.3
small
1.0
tiny
1.0

Surface Forms

small positive
smaller comparative
smallest superlative

Etymology

Small comes from an old German word smal meaning 'narrow' or 'thin'. So calling something small is like saying it is not large in size or amount, like something narrow or slim.