immensely small

USAGE SUMMARY

'immensely small' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
This phrase is used to express a contradiction; something that is very small but has as much magnitude or importance as something that is much larger. For example, "The impact of this decision on our future will be immensely small."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

That feeling you can have in New York when you feel incredibly big and powerful and immensely small and void at the same time—'baseball bats that never hit home runs.' In the end it's about the struggle to find your own way in all of that.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Lairy Paul was happy with his tattoos and his big life: Tourette's has made his life immensely smaller, to the extent he must wander alone, taking pics in the rain in Northumberland.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

During the primaries, Bernie Sanders ran an immensely successful small-dollar fundraising campaign, receiving nearly 7 million donations that averaged $27 each.

Vice

"It was a relatively small, immensely strong, non-human primate.

The Guardian

Perhaps developing this technology around an existing piece – their immensely popular A Small Town Anywhere, for example – might have been a better first step.

The Guardian

The brilliant Mr. Olsen had profited immensely by going small -- building efficient mini-computers in the age of hulking mainframes.

Huffington Post

In retrospect, the lessons to be taken from this small but immensely instructive episode appear obvious.

The New York Times

Debord was the leading light of the situationists, the small but immensely influential radical group who had their finest hour with the near-revolution in Paris in 1968.

The Guardian - Books

Here were a relatively small, but immensely powerful, clique of people who appear to have acknowledged no rules other than those that accelerated their personal and political ambitions.

The Guardian - Opinion

This is a small but immensely interesting and ambitious show that will travel to New Jersey City University, in Jersey City, in the fall.

The New York Times

Fifteen years ago, neighbors stepped forward when Mo's Midtown, a small and immensely popular diner near the Alley, was scheduled to close.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "immensely small" to create a sense of irony or paradox, highlighting a contrast between perceived importance and actual size.

Common error

Avoid using "immensely small" when you simply mean something is small. The phrase works best when there's a deliberate contrast or contradiction you want to emphasize.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "immensely small" functions as a modifier, specifically an adjectival phrase, used to describe a noun. According to Ludwig AI, it conveys a contradiction. It emphasizes the surprising or paradoxical nature of something being small.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "immensely small" is a grammatically sound adjectival phrase used to express a surprising or paradoxical degree of smallness. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, and although relatively rare in usage, it appears primarily in news and media contexts. While alternatives such as "overwhelmingly small" or "enormously small" exist, "immensely small" uniquely combines contradictory elements for emphasis, as seen in real-world examples.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

enormously small

Mirrors the paradoxical nature of "immensely small" by combining a large intensifier with a small descriptor.

hugely small

Similar to "enormously small", it uses a large-scale adjective to describe something small.

massively small

Like "enormously small" and "hugely small", it is a contradiction in terms that emphasizes the degree of smallness.

unbelievably small

Highlights the surprising or difficult-to-accept nature of something being very small.

incredibly small

Emphasizes the degree of smallness, similar to "unbelievably small".

overwhelmingly small

Emphasizes the degree to which something is small, adding a sense of being overpowered by its diminutiveness.

exceedingly small

Highlights the exceptional or extreme degree of smallness.

infinitely small

Suggests a size approaching zero, used more in mathematical or abstract contexts.

very small

A simpler and more direct way to express smallness, lacking the emphasis of "immensely".

immensely insignificant

Shifts the focus from physical size to a lack of importance or consequence.

FAQs

How can I use "immensely small" in a sentence?

Use "immensely small" to describe something that is surprisingly or ironically small despite expectations, as in, "The chance of winning the lottery is "immensely small", yet people still play".

What's the difference between "immensely small" and "very small"?

"Very small" is a straightforward description of size. "Immensely small" implies a paradox or contradiction, suggesting something is surprisingly or ironically tiny.

Are there contexts where "immensely small" is not appropriate?

"Immensely small" might be inappropriate in technical or scientific contexts where precise measurements are needed. It's better suited for descriptive or figurative language.

What are some similar phrases to "immensely small" that I could use?

You could use phrases like "overwhelmingly small", "enormously small", or "incredibly small" to convey a similar sense of extreme smallness, sometimes with a hint of surprise.