small in comparison

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "small in comparison" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing the relative size, amount, or significance of one thing compared to another. Example: "The budget for this project is small in comparison to last year's expenditures."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Encyclopedias

Science

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Her son looks so small in comparison.

The New Yorker

"But the revenue from those was small in comparison".

The New York Times

Adult: Small in comparison to other Spheniscus penguins.

Cornell University

The head was small in comparison with the body.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"It still seems like we are very small in comparison to what happened".

The New York Times - Sports

But such a risk is relatively small in comparison with other risks of space exploration.

The New York Times - Science

But their arsenals are small in comparison with that of the United States.

The New York Times

And the reaction to Showgirls or Starship Troopers would be small in comparison!

The Guardian - Film

The numbers involved were small in comparison to the vast demonstrations of the Arab spring.

The Guardian

What has happened already is bound to be very small in comparison to what lies ahead.

The New Yorker

Although $1.6 billion might sound large, it is small in comparison to the companies' overall revenues.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Consider the nuance you wish to convey. While "small in comparison" implies size, synonyms like "insignificant in comparison" shift the focus to importance.

Common error

Avoid using "small in comparison" without specifying the basis of comparison. For instance, instead of saying "The town is small in comparison", clarify with "The town is small in comparison to the capital city."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "small in comparison" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun by providing a relative assessment of its size, quantity, or significance. As Ludwig AI suggests, the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Academia

20%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Science

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "small in comparison" is a grammatically sound and frequently used phrase to denote something being of lesser size, quantity, or significance relative to something else. As highlighted by Ludwig AI, the phrase is suitable for various contexts. It's crucial to specify the basis of comparison for clarity and consider the nuances when choosing synonyms like "insignificant in comparison" or "minor in relation". While maintaining a neutral register, this phrase appears predominantly in news and media, academia, and encyclopedic content, demonstrating its broad applicability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

tiny in comparison

Replaces "small" with "tiny", emphasizing an even smaller size.

modest in comparison

Substitutes "small" with "modest", suggesting a lesser degree or amount.

minor in relation

Replaces "small in comparison" with "minor in relation", indicating reduced importance or impact.

insignificant in comparison

Replaces "small" with "insignificant", highlighting the lack of importance.

lesser by comparison

Changes "small" to "lesser", which implies being smaller in quantity or degree.

limited in comparison

Changes "small" to "limited", focusing on restricted quantity or extent.

negligible in comparison

Replaces "small" with "negligible", indicating something of so little importance it can be disregarded.

dwarfed by comparison

Implies something is made to appear small because of something much larger.

pale in comparison

Indicates something is diminished in significance when compared to something else.

overshadowed by comparison

Suggests something is hidden or made less noticeable due to something larger.

FAQs

How to use "small in comparison" in a sentence?

Use "small in comparison" to indicate that something is less significant, less sizable, or of lesser quantity than something else. For example, "The budget for the project was "modest in comparison" to the previous year's budget."

What can I say instead of "small in comparison"?

You can use alternatives like "tiny in comparison", "insignificant in comparison", or "minor in relation" depending on the specific context.

Which is correct, "small in comparison to" or "small compared to"?

Both "small in comparison to" and "small compared to" are grammatically correct and commonly used. The former is slightly more formal, while the latter is more concise.

When should I use "small in comparison" vs. "negligible in comparison"?

"Small in comparison" indicates a difference in size or amount, while "negligible in comparison" suggests that the difference is so small it's not worth considering. Choose the phrase that best reflects the degree of difference you wish to convey.