hugely small

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hugely small" is not standard in written English and may be considered contradictory.
It could be used in a humorous or ironic context to emphasize the smallness of something, but it is not commonly accepted. Example: "The new smartphone is hugely small compared to its predecessor, making it incredibly portable."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

"[And] because this 10-year established community was given far less than even 10 weeks to prepare for eviction, many of the things that have happened have happened in a hugely small amount of time, boosted by the will and determination of a few key members of the community who have been working tirelessly on the campaign," he adds.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Not only was paleoanthropology itself a much tinier enterprise than it is today, but the sum total of hominid fossils known was hugely smaller.

Evolution: Education and Outreach

One question the UK government has not begun to answer is whether it will follow the US and develop a new generation of hugely expensive small nuclear bombs.

The Guardian

Without the connectivity between dense communities, isolated components would not support many of the fascinating phenomena that have been observed, notably the hugely influential small world effect [9], where there exist surprisingly short paths between members of the network located in different communities.

EPJ Data Science

Among other flaws, it hugely rewards smaller parties if they're narrowly regional and mercilessly punishes them if they're broadly national.

The New Yorker

Opening successful shops can be hugely beneficial to small charities.

The Guardian

Statistically, Sheffield saw 2,500 protestors and Leeds 1,000, both hugely up on small protests two weeks ago, when most activists went to London.

The Guardian

As it stands, they are hugely rewarding a small number of people for finding a creative way to cheat the system.

The Guardian - Opinion

This will be hugely beneficial for small firms, as it will end their having to pay tax on received orders for which they have yet to be paid.

BBC

During four and half years the shape of the distribution changed from hugely skewed towards small sizes to a shape roughly symmetrical on a logarithmic scale (thus suggesting a lognormal distribution, but the number of data points is too small to provide a decisive measure).

EPJ Data Science

Crawford has been hugely successful with small gardens for nine years, ever since she stopped cooking for Alice Waters Chez Panissee and started growing lettuce for the influential restaurant in her Berkeley back yard.

Los Angeles Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using the phrase "hugely small" in formal writing. While it may be acceptable in informal contexts for humorous effect, it can often confuse readers due to its contradictory nature. Opt for clearer alternatives like "extremely tiny" or "remarkably small".

Common error

Be cautious when combining adverbs of degree with adjectives denoting size. While some combinations can be effective, using "hugely" with "small" creates a contradiction that weakens your message. Instead, consider the specific aspect of smallness you want to emphasize and choose words accordingly.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hugely small" functions as a descriptive modifier, attempting to emphasize the degree of smallness. However, this combination is inherently contradictory, as "hugely" typically amplifies a positive attribute, and using it with "small" creates a tension. Ludwig AI suggests its unusual nature.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "hugely small" is a linguistic anomaly, attempting to amplify the concept of smallness, but creating a contradiction. Ludwig AI indicates that it's not standard and may be confusing. The usage analysis reveals it's rare, primarily appearing in News & Media and Science contexts, but its informal register makes it unsuitable for formal writing. Instead of "hugely small", consider alternatives like "extremely tiny" or "remarkably small" to convey the intended emphasis without sacrificing clarity. While it might find a niche in humorous or ironic contexts, proceed with caution and prioritize clear communication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely tiny

Replaces "hugely" with "extremely" for emphasis and "small" with "tiny" for clarity.

remarkably small

Uses "remarkably" to highlight the unexpected smallness.

incredibly petite

Emphasizes delicate smallness using "incredibly" and "petite".

surprisingly compact

Focuses on the unexpected compactness using "surprisingly".

noticeably minute

Highlights how easily observable the small size is.

exceptionally diminutive

Uses more formal language to describe the small size.

unusually concise

Shifts focus to brevity and compactness rather than literal size.

impressively minimal

Highlights the positive aspects of being extremely small, like efficiency.

decidedly undersized

Emphasizes that it is smaller than expected or standard.

substantially reduced

Focuses on the act of becoming smaller rather than the state of being small.

FAQs

Is "hugely small" grammatically correct?

The phrase "hugely small" is not standard in written English and may be considered contradictory. While it can be used for humorous effect, it's generally better to use clearer alternatives like "extremely tiny" or "remarkably small".

What does "hugely small" mean?

The phrase attempts to emphasize the smallness of something, though it's contradictory. A clearer way to express this idea would be to use alternatives that highlight the degree of smallness, such as "incredibly petite" or "noticeably minute".

When is it appropriate to use "hugely small"?

It's rarely appropriate and should be reserved for instances where you intentionally want to create a sense of irony or humor. In most formal contexts, using a more precise and less contradictory phrase is advisable, like "surprisingly compact".

What are some alternatives to "hugely small"?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "exceptionally diminutive", "unusually concise", or "decidedly undersized" to convey the idea of something being significantly smaller than expected.