incredibly small

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "incredibly small" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is extremely tiny or diminutive in size. Example: "The particles in the experiment were incredibly small, making them difficult to observe with the naked eye."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

Essentially, the goal is to build an incredibly small computer.

The New Yorker

The space for so many corpses was incredibly small.

The New York Times

Working against the home team: Epaulet's shirts are cut incredibly small.

The New York Times

"Peña Nieto managed to make Trump look presidential while making himself look incredibly small.

The Guardian

She reassures the more abstemious students: "Drinking alcohol is an incredibly small part of the week.

The Guardian

Characters and objects can be compressed down to incredibly small files.

The New York Times - Magazine

But let's be clear, this is an incredibly small segment of the population.

The Guardian - Opinion

By the aficionados' own admissions, the world of wax figure collectors must be incredibly small.

The New York Times

"You will feel incredibly small when you get into these mountains," UIAGM guide and co-owner Rodrigo Mujica told me.

Independent

Mr. Weinschenk said that the bank lost "an incredibly small number of people" when the Pig last cut rates.

The New York Times

"I don't have a passion for creating tiny niche stuff that only incredibly small numbers of people see.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "incredibly small" to emphasize the surprising or remarkable degree of smallness of something, adding impact beyond a simple description. For instance, "The margin of error was incredibly small, leading to highly precise results."

Common error

Avoid using "incredibly small" in highly technical or scientific writing where precision is key. Terms like "nanoscale" or "micrometer" provide more accurate and professional descriptions of minute sizes.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "incredibly small" functions as an adverb-adjective combination used to modify a noun, emphasizing the degree of smallness. As shown by Ludwig, it commonly precedes nouns to intensify their diminutive quality.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

74%

Science

21%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "incredibly small" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe something of a remarkably diminutive size. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is widely used in news and media, as well as scientific contexts, to emphasize the degree of smallness. While suitable for most situations, it's best to opt for more precise language in technical writing. Alternatives such as "exceptionally small" or "infinitesimally small" can offer greater nuance depending on the context. Therefore, use "incredibly small" to add emphasis when describing size, but consider the specific requirements of your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unbelievably small

Emphasizes disbelief at the degree of smallness.

exceptionally small

Highlights the rarity or unusual nature of the small size.

unimaginably small

Suggests the size is beyond comprehension.

incredibly minor

Focuses on the insignificance or unimportance due to smallness.

exceedingly small

Implies a very high degree of smallness.

amazingly small

Highlights the surprising aspect of the size.

inconceivably small

Implies the size is hard to believe or grasp.

incredibly tiny

Simple substitution of "small" with its direct synonym.

infinitesimally small

Used primarily in technical contexts, implies an approach to zero.

vanishingly small

Implies the size is so small it is almost disappearing.

FAQs

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

You can use "incredibly small" to emphasize the diminutive size of something, for example: "The device was incredibly small, yet packed with advanced technology."

What are some alternatives to "incredibly small"?

Consider using alternatives such as "exceptionally small", "unimaginably small", or "infinitesimally small" depending on the specific context and nuance you wish to convey.

Is "incredibly small" formal or informal?

"Incredibly small" is generally suitable for both formal and informal contexts, though more technical terms might be preferred in scientific writing. However, consider the audience and context to choose more descriptive words.

What does "incredibly small" emphasize compared to "small"?

"Incredibly small" emphasizes the degree of smallness. While "small" simply indicates size, "incredibly small" highlights that the size is remarkably or surprisingly diminutive.