miniature 1 of 2

adjective

Definition of miniaturenext
as in tiny
very small in size a dollhouse with miniature furnishings

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

miniature

2 of 2

noun

ˈmi-nē-ə-ˌchu̇r How to pronounce miniature (audio)
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

Example 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
From these plots Du turns Coconut Trees into a miniature travelogue and existential road picture—come for the beautiful locales, stay for a conversation about fate, faith, and regret worthy of Rohmer—with faint wisps of a ghost tale. — Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 5 Mar. 2025 Bonus points for the show’s psychedelic sequences, typically populated by strange miniature humanoids who look like twisted, western versions of Hayao Miyazaki’s weird little guys. — Nicholas Quah, Vulture, 3 Mar. 2025
Noun
Many a short film that is later expanded into a feature feels reverse-engineered for that specific purpose: an eye-catching taster of what is clearly intended as a larger work, though perhaps not wholly satisfying as a miniature. — Guy Lodge, Variety, 21 Jan. 2025 The use of the miniatures is so striking, there’s just a strangeness to the movie, a feeling that something’s not quite right. — Mark Olsen, Los Angeles Times, 19 Dec. 2024 See All Example Sentences for miniature
Recent Examples of Synonyms for miniature
  1. tiny
  2. reproduction
  3. minuscule
  4. replica
  5. imitation
  6. model
Adjective
  • Regular computers, including the one on your desk, think in tiny bits of information that are either a 1 or a 0—like flipping a light switch on or off.
    — Dr. Diane Hamilton, Forbes, 17 Mar. 2025
  • Apply a tiny bit of water to the wonton edges with your finger.
    — Sarah Martens, Better Homes & Gardens, 17 Mar. 2025
Definition of tiny
Noun
  • While this research is an important first step, future research will need to expand these datasets, use satellite tracking to follow potential neonate movement, and explore whether other environmental factors, such as deep-sea features or seasonal cycles, play a role in whale shark reproduction.
    — Melissa Cristina Márquez, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
  • The exhibition at the Little Haiti Cultural Complex through Saturday, April 19, features reproductions rather than original artworks.
    — Jonel Juste, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of reproduction
Adjective
  • Other than minuscule amounts of state funding in some cases and a smattering of private donations, tribal colleges that lose any federal funding have few other sources of income.
    — Matt Krupnick, ProPublica, 10 Mar. 2025
  • The birds are already minuscule and delicate, and many of the ones Masear works with are babies whose mothers have disappeared or died, which puts them in even greater peril.
    — Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of minuscule
Noun
  • Newsweek's analysis of Google Earth imagery shows that construction of the replica compound began sometime between mid-October and early November 2014.
    — Tommy Tuberville, Newsweek, 7 Mar. 2025
  • By bringing these artwork replicas to Little Haiti, the organizers hope to inspire a deeper appreciation for Haiti’s contributions to the global cultural landscape.
    — Jonel Juste, Miami Herald, 6 Mar. 2025
Definition of replica
Noun
  • Many of them can do a solid imitation of the Dikembe Mutombo finger wag.
    — Daniel Brown, The Athletic, 16 Feb. 2025
  • The Heat have done a very credible imitation of the Washington Generals recently.
    — Ira Winderman, Sun Sentinel, 11 Feb. 2025
Definition of imitation
Noun
  • The two most visible competitors, Samsung and Apple, do have models that sit between the vanilla and the Pro handsets, but their difference is a larger screen with the same performance as the vanilla model.
    — Ewan Spence, Forbes, 12 Mar. 2025
  • By our math, that's about 70% of all Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning customers, based on sales data for both models, which showed a little over 200,000 EVs sold between their launch and August 2024.
    — Emily Forlini, PCMAG, 11 Mar. 2025
Definition of model

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Cite this Entry

“Miniature.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/miniature. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.

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