small
Americanadjective
-
of limited size; of comparatively restricted dimensions; not big; little.
a small box.
- Synonyms:
- tiny
-
slender, thin, or narrow.
a small waist.
- Synonyms:
- slight
-
not large as compared with others of the same kind.
a small elephant.
-
(of letters) lowercase.
-
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:
- insignificant, paltry, inconsequential, nugatory, secondary, minor, unimportant, petty, trifling
-
humble, modest, or unpretentious.
small circumstances.
-
characterized by or indicative of littleness of mind or character; mean-spirited; petty.
a small, miserly man.
- Synonyms:
- narrow, selfish, mean, narrow-minded, small-minded
-
of little strength or force.
a small effort.
- Synonyms:
- feeble
-
(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.
-
British. smalls,
-
household linen, as napkins, pillowcases, etc.
-
British Informal. smalls, the responsions at Oxford University.
-
Mining. smalls, coal, ore, gangue, etc., in fine particles.
idioms
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
-
to be humiliated or inferior
noun
-
an 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
Usage
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.
- 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.
- Used in a sentence: She won a few small bets before betting it all and winning the jackpot.
Synonym Usage
See little. Smaller, less indicate a diminution, or not so large a size or quantity in some respect. Smaller, as applied to concrete objects, is used with reference to size: smaller apples. Less is used of material in bulk, with reference to amount, and in cases where attributes such as value and degree are in question: A nickel is less than a dime (in value). A sergeant is less than a lieutenant (in rank). As an abstraction, amount may be either smaller or less, though smaller is usually used when the idea of size is suggested: a smaller opportunity. Less is used when the idea of quantity is present: less courage.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Adjectives
Etymology
Origin of small
First recorded before 900; Middle English smale, Old English smæl; cognate with Dutch smal, German schmal
Explanation
Things that are small are little. Children, lower-case letters, lady bugs, and thumb tacks are all small. This is a comparative word for things that are tiny. A size small shirt won't fit a big person. If you ask for a small favor, it had better not be a big deal. When someone makes you feel small, that's not a physical thing: it means they made you feel bad, like less of a person. A Yorkie is a small dog, but it's not small compared to a mouse. Everything is small (and large) compared to something else.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
The mayor recently proposed reforms to some regulations on small businesses, like no longer requiring restaurants to obtain a special permit to serve ice cream.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
So-called small molecules, which are typically pills dispensed by pharmacies, have generics that are much cheaper in the U.S. than abroad because of the intense price competition that patent expiration unleashes.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
Most of the remaining squad could also be available at the right price, though a small group of players are considered untouchable.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
“It would probably have to start small, but it would be cool to integrate that.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
He’s sitting at the small table in the corner of his room, the Scrabble board already set up, waiting for me, his lunch dishes pushed to the side.
From "Red Flags and Butterflies" by Sheryl Azzam
Meat, particularly beef, and vegetable prices went up in June but the increase was smaller than that recorded in June 2025.
From BBC ● Jul. 22, 2026
The analysts said that the veterinarians they surveyed filled 11% of prescriptions through Chewy, with companies like PetMed and Vetsource accounting for a smaller share.
From MarketWatch ● Jul. 22, 2026
Richemont’s other jewelry brands, Van Cleef & Arpels and Buccellati, are also growing quickly, but are smaller brands.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 22, 2026
“These include other major US studios like Disney, NBC Universal ... and Sony, along with smaller US studios such as Amazon MGM, A24 and Lionsgate, as well as European studios.”
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 22, 2026
It’s not that grief ever gets smaller, it’s that life gets bigger around it.
From "The Brightwood Code" by Monica Hesse
While the country waited for the team's arrival, celebrations continued overnight from Madrid to Spain's smallest villages on Sunday night.
From Barron's ● Jul. 20, 2026
People who consumed the largest total amounts showed a more rapid decline in cognitive abilities than those who consumed the smallest amounts.
From Science Daily ● Jul. 18, 2026
Cape Verde became the smallest country to make the knockout stages and won hearts in the process.
From BBC ● Jul. 17, 2026
Oil stored in the SPR was down by 3 million barrels at 316.5 million barrels, the smallest weekly withdrawal since the beginning of April.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 15, 2026
They measured it against Rowan, the smallest of the party, and marked it at his shoulder height.
From "Rowan of Rin" by Emily Rodda
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.