little
1 of 3adjective
lit·tle ˈli-tᵊl 
littler ˈli-tᵊl-ər or lesser ˈle-sər ; littlest ˈli-tᵊl-əst
ˈlit-lər
or less ˈles or lesser ˈle-sər ; littlest ˈli-tᵊl-əst ˈlit-ləst
or least ˈlēst 1
: not big: such as
a
: small in size or extent : tiny
has little feet
b
: young
was too little to remember
c
of a plant or animal : small in comparison with related forms —used in vernacular names
d
: having few members or inhabitants
a little group
little towns
e
: small in condition, distinction, or scope
big business trampling on the little fellow
f
: narrow, mean
the pettiness of little minds
g
: pleasingly small
a cute little thing
h
—used as an intensive
why, you little devil!
2
: not much: such as
a
: existing only in a small amount or to a slight degree
has little money
b
: short in duration : brief
There is little time left.
c
: existing to an appreciable though not extensive degree or amount —used with a
had a little money in the bank
3
: small in importance or interest : trivial
a few little problems to be dealt with
littleness
ˈli-tᵊl-nəs
noun little
2 of 3adverb
less ˈles ; least ˈlēst
; least ˈlēst 1
a
: in only a small quantity or degree : slightly
facts that were little known at the time
b
: not at all
cared little for their neighbors
2
: rarely, infrequently
little
3 of 3noun
plural littles
1
: a small amount, quantity, or degree
also : practically nothing
little has changed
2
a
: a short time
b
: a short distance
3
: a young child : little one
How you introduce your littles to the trail helps determine what they think of hiking as they grow. 
Backpacker
Backpacker… Beyoncé and JAY-Z don't post many photos of their littlest littles. Azure Hall
Azure HallAs a mom determined to nurse each of her littles, I've tucked myself away in airplane bathrooms dozens of times to pump ounces of milk. Kourtney Gibson
Kourtney Gibson
Synonyms
Adjective
- low
- low-lying
- low-slung
- sawed-off
- short
Adverb
- negligibly
- nominally
- slightly
Noun
- ace
- bit
- crumb
- dab
- dram
- driblet
- glimmer
- hint
- lick
- mite
- nip
- ounce
- particle
- peanuts
- ray
- scintilla
- scruple
- shade
- shadow
- shred
- skosh
- smack
- smell
- smidgen
- smidgeon
- smidgin
- smidge
- snap
- soupçon
- spark
- spatter
- speck
- splash
- spot
- sprinkling
- strain
- streak
- suspicion
- tad
- touch
- trace
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Adjective I have very little money, so I can't lend you any. I have less money than I did before. I got very little sleep last night. There's little hope of a rescue now. You have little choice but to pay attention. The new version bears little resemblance to the original. These programs have very little chance of succeeding. These trinkets have little or no value. We're having a little party this weekend. a little group of people Adverb She works very little and sleeps even less. Please speak as little as possible. We had little more than we needed. His art is little known in this country. Noun there's just a little of the pie left See More
Recent Examples on the Web Benjamin Whitacre, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Sep. 2022 TikTok sucks up massive amounts of user data, little of which is protected under U.S. federal law. Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2022 But multiple studies find ESG strategies are doing little of either. Terrence R. Keeley, WSJ, 12 Sep. 2022 Very little of what happens is directly tied to Utah, but a lot of it is tied to the fact that both Lori and Chad Daybell were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Scott D. Pierce, The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 Sep. 2022 Beyond the historical marker of it being Dan Lanning’s first career win there should be little to mark the occasion of this game. James Crepea | The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 9 Sep. 2022 Charles presents himself with considerable reserve, with little of the mischievous humor the queen at times displayed. Christina Boyle, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2022 But as a Black historian who understands the power of my writing and research, there is little to debate. Keisha N. Blain, The New Republic, 9 Sep. 2022 Act 1 is essentially a neo-soul project with little of the reverent restraint that often comes with that kind of music. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2022 Hannah Chubb, Peoplemag, 14 Sep. 2022 The Emmy Awards — which, like everything else, had to adjust protocols for the past two years because of Covid concerns — looked a little more normal this year. Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 13 Sep. 2022 The latest episode of House of the Dragon finally revealed that the truth was a little more complicated than the rumors suggested. Lauren Morgan, EW.com, 12 Sep. 2022 So hold on, because the campaign just got a little more interesting. Steve Lopezcolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2022 This can start a virtuous cycle, in which the recipient of compassion gets a little more resilient and becomes better able to show compassion themselves. Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2022 The Global Citizen festival, taking place in two major global cities this year, just got a little more exciting. Rivea Ruff, Essence, 8 Sep. 2022 Love apple pie, but looking for something a little more outside-the-box to wow your family with this year? Rebecca Shinners, Country Living, 7 Sep. 2022 Siófok, on the southern bank, provides an array of bars and clubs for the younger crowd while the north shore is a little more sophisticated, with spas, vineyards and historic towns. Nathan Kay, CNN, 31 Aug. 2022 Cristina Montemayor, Men's Health, 25 Aug. 2022 Before joining The Chronicle, Erin worked at newspapers all over the Bay Area and covered a little of everything, including business and technology, city government, and education. Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 July 2022 For those willing to sacrifice a little of the Taycan's dynamic fidelity for greater versatility, or who are simply taken by the wagon's longroof proportions, the Cross Turismo 4S occupies a compelling spot in Porsche's EV lineup. Greg Fink, Car and Driver, 7 July 2022 Before joining The Chronicle, Erin worked at newspapers all over the Bay Area and covered a little of everything, including business and technology, city government, and education. Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 July 2022 Mix a few of these together to create a combination tailored to your taste—or put a little of each in a small bowl. Magdalena O'neal, Sunset Magazine, 10 Mar. 2022 Before joining The Chronicle, Erin worked at newspapers all over the Bay Area and covered a little of everything, including business and technology, city government, and education. Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 June 2022 Melton was a four-star recruit with an offer from Ohio State who chose to stay home and do a little of everything for a rebuilding Rutgers program, as a receiver, runner and kick returner. Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 30 Apr. 2022 Lead guard Baylor Scheierman does a little of everything, ranking second on the team in scoring (16.2) and first in rebounds and assists (7.8, 4.6). Eddie Timanus, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2022 See More
Adjective
This makes pollination a little bit more difficult. Benjamin Whitacre, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Sep. 2022 TikTok sucks up massive amounts of user data, little of which is protected under U.S. federal law. Jacob Carpenter, Fortune, 12 Sep. 2022 But multiple studies find ESG strategies are doing little of either. Terrence R. Keeley, WSJ, 12 Sep. 2022 Very little of what happens is directly tied to Utah, but a lot of it is tied to the fact that both Lori and Chad Daybell were members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Scott D. Pierce, The Salt Lake Tribune, 11 Sep. 2022 Beyond the historical marker of it being Dan Lanning’s first career win there should be little to mark the occasion of this game. James Crepea | The Oregonian/oregonlive, oregonlive, 9 Sep. 2022 Charles presents himself with considerable reserve, with little of the mischievous humor the queen at times displayed. Christina Boyle, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2022 But as a Black historian who understands the power of my writing and research, there is little to debate. Keisha N. Blain, The New Republic, 9 Sep. 2022 Act 1 is essentially a neo-soul project with little of the reverent restraint that often comes with that kind of music. David Browne, Rolling Stone, 9 Sep. 2022 Adverb
Created with aloe vera to hydrate hands and ginkgo biloba plant extract to provide antioxidants, these elevated hand sanitizers — available in the scents Champagne and Chamomile Lavender — make killing germs feel a little more luxurious. Hannah Chubb, Peoplemag, 14 Sep. 2022 The Emmy Awards — which, like everything else, had to adjust protocols for the past two years because of Covid concerns — looked a little more normal this year. Daniel Arkin, NBC News, 13 Sep. 2022 The latest episode of House of the Dragon finally revealed that the truth was a little more complicated than the rumors suggested. Lauren Morgan, EW.com, 12 Sep. 2022 So hold on, because the campaign just got a little more interesting. Steve Lopezcolumnist, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2022 This can start a virtuous cycle, in which the recipient of compassion gets a little more resilient and becomes better able to show compassion themselves. Arthur C. Brooks, The Atlantic, 8 Sep. 2022 The Global Citizen festival, taking place in two major global cities this year, just got a little more exciting. Rivea Ruff, Essence, 8 Sep. 2022 Love apple pie, but looking for something a little more outside-the-box to wow your family with this year? Rebecca Shinners, Country Living, 7 Sep. 2022 Siófok, on the southern bank, provides an array of bars and clubs for the younger crowd while the north shore is a little more sophisticated, with spas, vineyards and historic towns. Nathan Kay, CNN, 31 Aug. 2022 Noun
Be careful to not overuse products, especially on the the first day, and remember a little can go a long way. Cristina Montemayor, Men's Health, 25 Aug. 2022 Before joining The Chronicle, Erin worked at newspapers all over the Bay Area and covered a little of everything, including business and technology, city government, and education. Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 July 2022 For those willing to sacrifice a little of the Taycan's dynamic fidelity for greater versatility, or who are simply taken by the wagon's longroof proportions, the Cross Turismo 4S occupies a compelling spot in Porsche's EV lineup. Greg Fink, Car and Driver, 7 July 2022 Before joining The Chronicle, Erin worked at newspapers all over the Bay Area and covered a little of everything, including business and technology, city government, and education. Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, 14 July 2022 Mix a few of these together to create a combination tailored to your taste—or put a little of each in a small bowl. Magdalena O'neal, Sunset Magazine, 10 Mar. 2022 Before joining The Chronicle, Erin worked at newspapers all over the Bay Area and covered a little of everything, including business and technology, city government, and education. Erin Allday, San Francisco Chronicle, 3 June 2022 Melton was a four-star recruit with an offer from Ohio State who chose to stay home and do a little of everything for a rebuilding Rutgers program, as a receiver, runner and kick returner. Nate Atkins, The Indianapolis Star, 30 Apr. 2022 Lead guard Baylor Scheierman does a little of everything, ranking second on the team in scoring (16.2) and first in rebounds and assists (7.8, 4.6). Eddie Timanus, USA TODAY, 14 Mar. 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective, Adverb, and Noun
Middle English littel, from Old English lȳtel; akin to Old High German luzzil little
First Known Use
Adjective
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Adverb
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Noun
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Phrases Containing little
Kids Definition
little 1 of 3
adjective
lit·tle ˈli-tᵊl
littler
ˈlit-lər
or less ˈləs
; littlest ˈlit-ləst
or least ˈlēst
1
: small in size
a little house
2
: small in quantity
They had little food to eat.
3
: young entry 1 sense 1
little children
4
: short in duration or extent
We had a little chat.
5
: small in importance
It's a little problem.
6
: narrow entry 1 sense 3
little
2 of 3adverb
less
ˈles
; least ˈlēst
: in a very small quantity or degree
The history is little known.
little
3 of 3noun
: a small amount or quantity She knows very little.
Medical Definition
little
adjective
lit·tle ˈlit-ᵊl
littler ˈlit-ᵊl-ər, ˈlit-lər or less ˈles or lesser ˈles-ər ; littlest ˈlit-ᵊl-əst, ˈlit-ləst or least ˈlēst
or less ˈles or lesser ˈles-ər ; littlest ˈlit-ᵊl-əst, ˈlit-ləst or least ˈlēst : not big: as
a
: small in size or extent
has little feet
b
of a plant or animal : small in comparison with related forms —used in vernacular names
little 1 of 3
adjective
1
as in short
having relatively little height there was a little hedge separating the two lawns Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- short
- small
- tiny
- slight
- low
- wee
- teeny
- dwarf
- bitty
- petite
- low-slung
- smallish
- sawed-off
- diminutive
- miniature
- compact
- mini
- low-lying
- dwarfish
- puny
- dinky
- pocket
- flat
- minute
- pygmy
- dumpy
- stubby
- undersized
- stunted
- pint-sized
- minimized
- teeny-weeny
- scrubby
- squatty
- squat
- bantam
- stumpy
- pocket-sized
- pint-size
- pocket-size
- half-pint
- undersize
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- high
- tall
- lofty
- towering
- lifted
- elevated
- raised
- large
- big
- uplifted
- upswept
- sizeable
- sizable
- lanky
- statuesque
- altitudinous
- hefty
- bulky
- rangy
- oversized
- outsized
- gangling
- voluminous
- largish
- outsize
- oversize
- gangly
- hulking
- high-rise
2
as in small
lacking importance there were just a few little details left to take care of Synonyms & Similar Words
- small
- minor
- slight
- trivial
- trifling
- insignificant
- minute
- worthless
- unimportant
- fiddling
- inconsiderable
- foolish
- incidental
- frivolous
- petty
- negligible
- inconsequential
- nugatory
- small-fry
- neither here nor there
- obscure
- Mickey Mouse
- paltry
- jerkwater
- anonymous
- one-horse
- unknown
- small-time
- nameless
- nickel-and-dime
- uncelebrated
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- big
- substantial
- significant
- important
- major
- meaningful
- momentous
- eventful
- weighty
- consequential
- decisive
- prominent
- dominant
- material
- valuable
- great
- fatal
- remarkable
- principal
- impressive
- chief
- distinctive
- worthy
- overbearing
- outstanding
- fateful
- exceptional
- worthwhile
- overriding
- basic
- unfrivolous
- distinguished
- fundamental
- eminent
- illustrious
- famous
- essential
- key
- notorious
- overmastering
- prestigious
- renowned
- preeminent
- all-important
3
as in narrow
not broad or open in views or opinions little-minded people who dislike the fact that human society is always progressing Synonyms & Similar Words
- small
- narrow
- petty
- parochial
- provincial
- insular
- stubborn
- picayune
- sectarian
- illiberal
- limited
- rigid
- small-minded
- narrow-minded
- partial
- partisan
- obstinate
- Lilliputian
- biased
- prejudiced
- reactionary
- bigoted
- stodgy
- intolerant
- obdurate
- set
- opinionated
- jaundiced
- wrongheaded
- discriminatory
- dogmatic
- ironbound
- straitlaced
- stuffy
- unsophisticated
- unyielding
- discriminating
- inflexible
- hidebound
- one-sided
- old-fashioned
- opinionative
- straightlaced
- hick
- brassbound
- dogmatical
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- liberal
- open
- cosmopolitan
- receptive
- tolerant
- catholic
- impartial
- objective
- unbiased
- unprejudiced
- open-minded
- broad-minded
- nonpartisan
- freethinking
4
as in brief
not lasting for a considerable time let's take a little pause to relax Synonyms & Similar Words
- brief
- short
- sudden
- concise
- fast
- shortened
- condensed
- fleeting
- momentary
- transitory
- transient
- compact
- shortish
- curtailed
- ephemeral
- pithy
- abbreviated
- syncopated
- abridged
- summary
- terse
- abrupt
- succinct
- laconic
- crisp
- epigrammatic
- short-lived
- cut-back
- short-term
- compendious
- impermanent
- short-range
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- long
- great
- far
- lengthy
- extended
- persistent
- endless
- unending
- prolonged
- longish
- protracted
- everlasting
- interminable
- permanent
- overlong
- long-drawn
- long-lived
- long-drawn-out
- enlarged
- supplemented
- expanded
- long-term
- long-range
5
as in diminutive
of a size that is less than average the petting zoo has a little horse in addition to all of the goats and sheep Synonyms & Similar Words
- small
- diminutive
- tiny
- slight
- pocket
- fine
- miniature
- puny
- smallish
- sparse
- dinky
- spare
- slender
- dwarf
- lacking
- undersized
- mini
- dwarfish
- poor
- miniaturized
- pygmy
- wee
- bantam
- shrimpy
- minuscule
- pint-sized
- teeny
- toylike
- stunted
- subnormal
- teensy
- pocket-sized
- bitty
- pint-size
- pocket-size
- undersize
- toy
- weeny
- microscopic
- half-pint
- scarce
- micro
- insufficient
- scant
- meager
- minute
- runty
- skimpy
- Lilliputian
- scrubby
- inadequate
- infinitesimal
- scanty
- weensy
- slim
- teensy-weensy
- little bitty
- stingy
- teeny-weeny
- inappreciable
- wanting
- minim
- pinpoint
- skimp
- microscopical
- minikin
- meagre
- niggardly
- capsule
- deficient
- runtish
- bite-sized
- bite-size
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- large
- big
- substantial
- considerable
- great
- sizeable
- sizable
- huge
- handsome
- goodly
- grand
- massive
- oversized
- outsized
- whopping
- enormous
- tremendous
- largish
- giant
- tidy
- husky
- hefty
- vast
- bulky
- gigantic
- outsize
- oversize
- immense
- voluminous
- ample
- gross
- appreciable
- abundant
- colossal
- humongous
- mountainous
- generous
- liberal
- prodigious
- monstrous
- stupendous
- mammoth
- monumental
- copious
- staggering
- galactic
- gargantuan
- jumbo
- biggish
- heroic
- plentiful
- healthy
- cavernous
- elephantine
- thick
- bountiful
- monolithic
- wide
- heroical
- herculean
- broad
- cyclopean
- titanic
- whacking
- boxcar
- overscale
- fat
- enough
- overscaled
- plenteous
- pharaonic
- king-sized
- hulking
- humungous
- adequate
- sufficient
- king-size
- cosmic
- infinite
- boundless
- leviathan
- immeasurable
- incalculable
- Bunyanesque
- Brobdingnagian
- cosmical
- Himalayan
little
2 of 3adverb
1
as in slightly
in a very small quantity or degree we had little more than we needed to survive in the wilderness Synonyms & Similar Words
- slightly
- just
- a bit
- nominally
- negligibly
- a trifle
- barely
- scarcely
- marginally
- minimally
- hardly
- meagerly
- scantily
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- very
- extra
- something
- much
- far
- too
- most
- so
- extremely
- considerably
- significantly
- especially
- particularly
- real
- substantially
- terribly
- exceedingly
- awfully
- highly
- super
- full
- heavily
- mighty
- greatly
- entirely
- right
- frightfully
- completely
- totally
- purely
- exceeding
- extensively
- thoroughly
- rattling
- deadly
- awful
- utterly
- mightily
- exceptionally
- mortally
- noticeably
- jolly
- appreciably
- eminently
- beastly
- palpably
- whacking
- abundantly
- discernibly
- plentifully
- generously
- liberally
- handsomely
- grandly
- monumentally
- monstrously
- hugely
- astronomically
2
as in rarely
not often he's been studying very little for the bar exam Synonyms & Similar Words
- rarely
- seldom
- infrequently
- sporadically
- sometimes
- never
- occasionally
- once in a blue moon
- ne'er
- irregularly
- episodically
- now and then
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- often
- frequently
- generally
- usually
- oft
- oftentimes
- always
- ordinarily
- ever
- forever
- customarily
- constantly
- habitually
- routinely
- invariably
- ofttimes
- continually
- endlessly
- perpetually
- continuously
- eternally
- chronically
- repeatedly
- perennially
- evermore
- everlastingly
- unceasingly
- recurrently
little
3 of 3noun
as in bit
a very small amount there's just a little of the pie left Synonyms & Similar Words
- bit
- glimmer
- sprinkling
- splash
- tad
- shred
- hint
- touch
- speck
- lick
- handful
- spark
- dab
- trace
- smidge
- smidgen
- particle
- smidgeon
- sliver
- smack
- ounce
- mite
- smidgin
- crumb
- ray
- pinch
- minimum
- scintilla
- streak
- skosh
- dram
- peanuts
- bite
- spatter
- smell
- suspicion
- shade
- spot
- fleck
- portion
- nip
- strain
- dash
- soupçon
- scruple
- drop
- shadow
- dose
- ace
- part
- whit
- taste
- modicum
- snap
- grain
- driblet
- jot
- drop in the bucket
- iota
- semblance
- section
- nibble
- molecule
- vestige
- mote
- tittle
- syllable
- dot
- smattering
- patch
- fragment
- morsel
- atom
- minim
- hoot
- scrap
- granule
- scattering
- flyspeck
- nubbin
- smatter
- flake
- shiver
- splinter
- shard
- clipping
- tatter
- chip
- shaving
- paring
- smithereens
- shot
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- lot
- plenty
- loads
- heaps
- quantity
- pile
- mess
- wealth
- abundance
- mountain
- mass
- deal
- bundle
- bucket
- boatload
- gobs
- profusion
- oodles
- stack
- raft
- barrel
- much
- bushel
- scads
- wad
- fistful
- peck
- volume
- reams
- passel
- excess
- lashings
- surplus
- potful
- embarrassment
- overflow
- surfeit
- overabundance
- overmuch
- superabundance
- overkill
- chunk
- bonanza
- lashins
- superfluity
- slab
- overage
- oversupply
- lump
- hunk
Synonym Chooser
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
Although the words diminutive and little have much in common, diminutive implies abnormal smallness.
diminutive bonsai plants
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
The words minute and little can be used in similar contexts, but minute implies extreme smallness.
a minute amount of caffeine in the soda
Both small and little are often interchangeable, but small applies more to relative size determined by capacity, value, number.
a relatively small backyard
Tiny is an informal equivalent to minute.
tiny cracks formed in the painting
Phrases Containing little
- monoazo
- monobasic
- monobasicities
- monobath
- monoblastic
- Monoblepharidales
- monobloc
- monobranchiate
- monobrom-
- monobromate
- monobrominate
- monobromination
- monobromo-
- Monocacy
- monocaine
- monocalcium
- monocalcium phosphate
- monocanthi
- Monocanthidae
- monocanthidaes
- monocanthuses
- monocanthusses
- monocarboxylic
- monocardian
- monocarp