rather small

USAGE SUMMARY

'rather small' is correct and usable in written English.
For example, 'We have a rather small garden.'.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It's also rather small.

The Guardian

The generalized brain is rather small.

Encyclopedia Britannica

It was rather small for their….

The New Yorker

The little girl upstairs is rather small.

The New York Times

However, this effect is rather small.

International Journal of Educational Research

The impact of agitation speed was generally rather small.

Chemical Engineering Science

Down below, I start to feel rather small.

The Guardian - Arts

But their answers often turned out to be rather small.

The Guardian - Books

Their supply of fire arms seemed rather small.

The New Yorker

"We're trying to preserve a rather small village feel".

The New York Times

These are people -- and rather small people in some ways.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "rather small" to subtly downplay the size of something without being overly critical. For example, describe a house as "rather small" instead of simply "small" to soften the statement.

Common error

Avoid using "rather small" excessively in formal writing or presentations. While grammatically correct, it can sometimes sound less precise than more specific terms like "compact", "diminutive", or providing exact measurements.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "rather small" primarily functions as a modifier, specifically an adjectival phrase, that describes a noun. It indicates the degree of smallness. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

31%

Science

57%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "rather small" is a grammatically sound and frequently used adjectival phrase to describe something of modest size. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is suitable for various contexts, especially in news, media, and scientific publications. While generally neutral in register, avoid overusing it in highly formal contexts where more precise language might be preferred. When aiming for variety, consider alternatives like "quite diminutive" or "somewhat tiny" to achieve a similar effect.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

quite diminutive

Replaces "rather" with "quite" and "small" with "diminutive", emphasizing tininess.

somewhat tiny

Substitutes "small" with "tiny", conveying a sense of extreme smallness.

relatively petite

Uses "petite" instead of "small", suggesting daintiness or elegance in smallness.

moderately undersized

Employs "undersized" to indicate a size below the standard or expected.

fairly compact

Replaces "small" with "compact", focusing on the efficient use of space.

slightly little

Uses "little" instead of "small", which reinforces the smallness aspect.

a touch minute

Minute is a good replacement of small

on the smaller side

This phrase uses a more conversational tone to indicate that something is smaller than average.

not particularly large

Expresses smallness by negating largeness, providing a less direct indication of size.

of limited size

This alternative uses a more formal tone and emphasizes the restriction in size.

FAQs

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

You can use "rather small" to describe the size of an object or the extent of something. For example: "The apartment was "rather small", but it had a lovely view", or "The impact of the new policy was "rather small" initially".

What are some alternatives to "rather small"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "quite diminutive", "somewhat tiny", or "relatively petite" to convey a similar meaning.

Is "rather small" too informal for academic writing?

While "rather small" is generally acceptable, consider using more precise or formal alternatives in academic writing, such as "relatively limited", "moderately undersized", or providing specific measurements if available.

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

"Rather small" indicates a slight degree of smallness, while "very small" suggests a much greater degree. "Rather" softens the statement, making it less absolute than "very". For example a small item might be "rather small" but a microscopic item might be described as "very small".