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small
[ smawl ]
adjective
- of limited size; of comparatively restricted dimensions; not big; little:
a small box.
Synonyms:
Antonyms: ,
- slender, thin, or narrow:
a small waist.
Synonyms:
- not large as compared with others of the same kind:
a small elephant.
- (of letters) lowercase ( def 1 ).
- not great in amount, degree, extent, duration, value, etc.:
a small salary.
- not great numerically:
a small army.
- of low numerical value; denoted by a low number.
- having but little land, capital, power, influence, etc., or carrying on business or some activity on a limited scale:
a small enterprise.
- of minor importance, moment, weight, or consequence:
a small problem.
Synonyms: , , , , , , , ,
- humble, modest, or unpretentious:
small circumstances.
- characterized by or indicative of littleness of mind or character; mean-spirited; petty:
a small, miserly man.
Synonyms: , , , ,
- of little strength or force:
a small effort.
Synonyms:
- (of sound or the voice) gentle; with little volume.
- very young:
when I was a small boy.
- diluted; weak.
adverb
- in a small manner:
They talked big but lived small.
- into small pieces:
Slice the cake small.
- in low tones; softly.
noun
- something that is small:
Do you prefer the small or the large?
- a small or narrow part, as of the back.
- those who are small:
Democracy benefits the great and the small.
- smalls, small goods or products.
- smalls, British.
- household linen, as napkins, pillowcases, etc.
- smalls, British Informal. the responsions at Oxford University.
- smalls, Mining. coal, ore, gangue, etc., in fine particles.
small
/ ɔː /
adjective
- comparatively little; limited in size, number, importance, etc
- of little importance or on a minor scale
a small business
- lacking in moral or mental breadth or depth
a small mind
- modest or humble
small beginnings
- of low or inferior status, esp socially
- (of a child or animal) young; not mature
- unimportant, trivial
a small matter
- not outstanding
a small actor
- of, relating to, or designating the ordinary modern minuscule letter used in printing and cursive writing Compare capital 1 See also lower case
- lacking great strength or force
a small effort
- in fine particles
small gravel
- obsolete.(of beer, etc) of low alcoholic strength
adverb
- into small pieces
you have to cut it small
- in a small or soft manner
- feel smallto be humiliated or inferior
noun
- the smallan object, person, or group considered to be small
do you want the small or the large?
- a small slender part, esp of the back
- informal.plural items of personal laundry, such as underwear
Derived Forms
- ˈԱ, noun
- ˈ, adjective
Other 51Թ Forms
- n noun
- ܱt· adjective
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of small1
51Թ History and Origins
Origin of small1
Idioms and Phrases
- feel small, to be ashamed or mortified:
Her unselfishness made me feel small.
More idioms and phrases containing small
- big fish in a small pond
- (small) cog in the wheel
- give thanks for small blessings
- it's a small world
- little (small) frog in a big pond
- make a (small) fortune
- no (small) wonder
- still small voice
Synonym Study
Example Sentences
Because of their small size, the rats are not heavy enough to detonate the mines.
Every frame is filled with details, down to the T-shirts for small regional bands like Sewer Trout.
Beijing had given up on the hope of using the small window it had before Trump's 54% tariffs on Chinese goods took effect next week to do a deal.
DPS Designs contributes a small - but important part - to that industry.
In the desert outpost of Amboy, along Route 66 about 210 miles east of Los Angeles, a small team of workers sustains California’s most iconic nonfunctional lodging: Roy’s Motel and Cafe.
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Related 51Թs
More About Small
What is a basic definition of small?
Small is an adjective that describes something as little or not of large size. Small can also describe something as being low in number or amount. Small has many other senses as an adjective, adverb, and noun and is used in several idioms.
If something or someone is small, they are little or diminutive. They are physically short or take up a low amount of physical space. Small can also describe something as being less big than other similar things. For example, a pony is a small horse. The noun form of this sense of small is smallness.
- Real-life examples: Chihuahuas are small dogs. Ants are small animals. A dime is a small coin.
- Used in a sentence: The letters were too small to read.
Small also describes something as being low in number.
- Real-life examples: A group of 100 soldiers is a very small army. A town that only has 30 people living in it has a small population.
- Used in a sentence: I started my business with a small team of trusted friends.
Small can also describe something as not being of a large amount or great degree.
- Used in a sentence: She won a few small bets before betting it all and winning the jackpot.
Where does small come from?
The first records of small come from before 900. It ultimately comes from the Old English æ and is related to the Dutch smal and the German schmal.
Did you know ... ?
What are some other forms related to small?
- smallness (noun)
- ultrasmall (adjective)
- smallish (adjective)
What are some synonyms for small?
What are some words that share a root or word element with small?
What are some words that often get used in discussing small?
How is used in real life?
Small is a very common word used to mean something is little, low in number, or low in amount.
For the first time this year, Twitter is adding a small icon after the hashtag for the month.
A great excuse to us it… immoderately!
— LGBT+ History Month 🏳️🌈 (@LGBTHM)
Small cats give me life. He's a beautiful boy 💕
— Nicola Fieldsend (@NFieldsend)
‘Girl’ was originally a generic term for any small child, regardless of gender.
— Quite Interesting (@qikipedia)
Try using small!
Is small used correctly in the following sentence?
The box was too small to hold my TV, so I had to find a bigger box.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
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