a tiny business

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a tiny business" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a very small company or enterprise, often emphasizing its size in a casual or informal context. Example: "After years of hard work, she finally opened a tiny business selling handmade crafts from her home."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

ADVERTISING on mobile phones is a tiny business.

The Economist

But right now that is a tiny business in the United States.

The New York Times

Lenovo also does a Tiny business desktop PC: tiny by name and by nature.

The Guardian - Tech

It's the difference between a huge corporate and a tiny business of 20 employees.

The Guardian

There's much more word of mouth going on– it's a tiny business now so there are no secrets.

Independent

"You have to think big; we are still a tiny business but we believe the weight of the brand is there".

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

33 human-written examples

7. Debbi Fields Fields was only 20 years old when she started selling homemade chocolate cookies--a tiny business that she and her husband, Rands Fields, ultimately grew into Mrs. Fields, which now has and 390 locations around the United States and 4,000 employees.

Huffington Post

Another big one for the fund is I-Many, a tiny business-to-business software maker with falling sales and four straight years of losses.

Forbes

"It was a tiny, tiny business," recalled Mr. Gates, Microsoft's chairman.

The New York Times

What's left besides the mobile communications segment is a network infrastructure business that brings in about 20% of sales with zero growth last year and a relatively tiny business of less than $1 billion providing set-top boxes to cable operators, which had a good year and reported a $50 million increase in operating profits in 2006.

Forbes

From a tiny defense business, the fiber-optic business has grown into one of the three largest undersea cable businesses in the world (the others being France's Alcatel and Japan's KDD) with the acquisition last summer of AT&T's submarine systems division.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a business, consider using "a tiny business" to emphasize its modest size, especially when contrasting it with larger corporations or highlighting its humble beginnings.

Common error

Avoid stringing together too many subjective adjectives before "business", such as "a really, really tiny business". While it may amplify the intended meaning, it can make the description sound unprofessional or hyperbolic.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a tiny business" functions as a noun phrase, where "tiny" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "business". It describes the size or scale of a commercial entity. Ludwig's examples show this phrase in contexts ranging from mobile advertising to family-run operations.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Formal & Business

30%

Science

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a tiny business" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed phrase used to depict a very small commercial entity. As Ludwig AI confirms, its purpose is to emphasize the modest scale, often drawing a contrast with larger enterprises or highlighting humble origins. Predominantly found in news and formal business contexts, the phrase carries a neutral register, making it suitable for diverse communication scenarios. While alternatives like "a small enterprise" or "a micro-business" exist, "a tiny business" uniquely conveys the idea of extreme smallness and is considered a correct and usable phrase in English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a small enterprise

Replaces 'tiny' with 'small', offering a slightly more formal tone.

a micro-business

Uses the prefix 'micro-' to explicitly denote a very small scale.

a fledgling business

Implies a new and developing business in its early stages.

a mom-and-pop shop

Refers specifically to a family-owned and operated small business.

a small-scale venture

Uses 'venture' to emphasize the risk and potential of the business.

a limited company

Specifies the legal structure of the business.

a cottage industry

Suggests a home-based or craft-oriented business.

a boutique business

Implies a niche or specialized business with a focus on quality or style.

a modest operation

Highlights the unassuming nature and limited scope of the business.

a start-up venture

Focuses on new businesses or initial projects.

FAQs

How can I use "a tiny business" in a sentence?

You can use "a tiny business" to describe a very small company or enterprise, often to emphasize its size or contrast it with larger businesses. For example, "Despite being "a tiny business", they managed to secure a major contract."

What are some alternatives to "a tiny business"?

You can use alternatives like "a small enterprise", "a micro-business", or "a fledgling business depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "a tiny business"?

Yes, "a tiny business" is grammatically correct and commonly used. According to Ludwig, it's a usable phrase for describing a very small company or enterprise.

What's the difference between "a tiny business" and "a small business"?

While both phrases refer to businesses of limited size, ""a tiny business"" emphasizes the extremely small scale of the operation, often implying even fewer resources or a more personal touch than "a small business".