as in small
lacking importance
some small-fry official in the state government with a big-time ego
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of small-fry
Ridley Scott directs Brian Tyree Henry and Wagner Moura in the first episode of a tale in which two small-fry thieves rob a drug den and become the target of a relentless kingpin.
—
Shauna Lyon, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
Cassatt achieved hers by changing mediums; by experimenting with colors; and by being perversely drawn to small-fry subject matter, then mining it from all angles.
—Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 27 June 2024
For small-fry investors and big money managers alike, the psychological toll of falling behind creates pressure, particularly for those sticking with the playbook.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune, 10 June 2024
Brad Heppner had the grand idea of bringing investment opportunities enjoyed by Wall Street institutions to small-fry investors.
—Alexander Gladstone, WSJ, 28 July 2023
Shauna Lyon, The New Yorker, 28 Feb. 2025
Cassatt achieved hers by changing mediums; by experimenting with colors; and by being perversely drawn to small-fry subject matter, then mining it from all angles.
—Carlos Valladares, ARTnews.com, 27 June 2024
For small-fry investors and big money managers alike, the psychological toll of falling behind creates pressure, particularly for those sticking with the playbook.
—Ryan Hogg, Fortune, 10 June 2024
Brad Heppner had the grand idea of bringing investment opportunities enjoyed by Wall Street institutions to small-fry investors.
—Alexander Gladstone, WSJ, 28 July 2023
Recent Examples of Synonyms for small-fry
Adjective
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With any luck, a little digestive distress will be just a small trade-off for getting past your illness and feeling like yourself again.—
Beth Krietsch,
SELF,
7 Apr. 2025
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Nudie Jeans has a big idea for a new small retail concept.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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Aftershocks are typically minor adjustments along the portion of a fault that slipped at the time of the initial earthquake.—
William B. Davis,
New York Times,
28 Mar. 2025
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The incident, while ultimately only a minor one, did impact the rest of their vacation.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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There were little tiny water bubbles around each of them.—
Bon Appétit,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
10 Apr. 2025
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Even with Hollywood’s diminished state in China, the film business is one sector where the U.S. maintains a sizable trade surplus with its geopolitical rival, as Chinese films, despite their enormous earnings in the home market, have made little headway with mainstream North American moviegoers.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
10 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Small-fry.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/small-fry. Accessed 15 Apr. 2025.
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