smaller

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "smaller" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when comparing items of different sizes. For example: "The bedroom was much smaller than the living room."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

However, the second with a 0.5% formulation was supported by the results, published in February, of a smaller trial run by the HIV Prevention Trials Network.

The Economist

Instead, they typically pay lower interest rates on deposits than smaller banks do, and charge higher interest rates on loans.

The Economist

And while the Yale economist Robert Shiller has long advocated using markets to help individuals protect themselves against things like declining house prices or future unemployment, the chances of that happening now seem smaller than ever.

The Economist

Sheila Scott, chief executive of the National Care Association, which represents many smaller care home providers, said care costs could in many instances be approaching two-thirds of total fees because of the growing dependency of people entering residential care.

The Guardian

With events taking place at venues ranging from tiny, niche museums in Orkney and Norfolk to national giants such at the Natural History Museum and the V&A, the founding ethos of the festival is to celebrate the diverse and often quirky cultural landscape of Britain and to give a voice and platform to smaller institutions.

The Guardian

It's something I need to show on the court, not just in the smaller tournaments".

The Guardian - Sport

Dominguez Lino, 34, has played in just one WTA Tour main draw this year, but has lifted her ranking up close to the top 100 again by winning a lot of matches at smaller tournaments.

The Guardian - Sport

It's more of a problem within smaller organisations that may not have an equal opportunities quota".

The Guardian

While Crawley has a proportionately much smaller Muslim population than others on the list, the West Sussex town was in the spotlight last year as the home of the first British jihadi suicide bomber of the Syrian civil war, and of three men jailed in 2007 for a bomb plot investigated by police under Operation Crevice.

The Guardian

According to the report: "The size of the benefit to families with children from the new child-care package is, in any case, much smaller in magnitude than the cuts proposed in the 2014‐15 budget which will still clearly leave families at the bottom end of the income spectrum significantly worse off in absolute and percentage terms.

The Guardian

Network Rail has warned that meaningful cuts in its budget can only come at the expense of a smaller railway that will have to carry fewer passengers than the 1.3bn journeys it managed in 2009.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing sizes, ensure you clearly specify what is being compared to what. For example, "This room is "smaller" than the other one."

Common error

Avoid using "smaller" to refer to uncountable nouns. For example, instead of saying "I have "smaller" money now", say "I have less money now". "Smaller" is used for countable items.

Linguistic Context

The word "smaller" primarily functions as a comparative adjective. It modifies a noun, indicating that it possesses a lesser degree of size compared to another noun. Ludwig showcases that this comparative form is used across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Formal & Business

17%

Science

17%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "smaller" functions as a comparative adjective used to indicate that one item is less large than another. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this grammatically correct term is very common, appearing frequently in contexts like News & Media, Formal & Business, and Science. It's crucial to use "smaller" for countable nouns and to clearly specify the items being compared. Remember that while alternatives like "less significant" or "more compact" exist, they convey different nuances. The most authoritative sources using "smaller" include The Guardian and The Economist.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

reduced in size

Explicitly states the action of decreasing in physical dimensions.

on a smaller scale

Highlights that something is happening with less intensity or fewer resources.

diminished

Implies a gradual reduction in size, extent, or importance.

less significant

Focuses on the reduced importance or impact rather than physical size.

of lesser magnitude

Highlights the reduced intensity or impact, often in scientific or technical contexts.

more compact

Emphasizes efficient use of space and a more condensed form.

more petite

Suggests a delicate or refined smallness, often in describing appearance.

shorter

Indicates a decrease in length or duration, rather than overall size.

more minute

Emphasizes that something is tiny or insignificant

in a more limited fashion

Focuses on the reduced scope or extent of something.

FAQs

How to use "smaller" in a sentence?

"Smaller" is used to compare the size of two countable nouns, indicating that one is less large than the other. For example, "This car is "smaller than" that truck."

What can I say instead of "smaller"?

You can use alternatives like "less significant", "more compact", or "reduced in size" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "smaller" or "less"?

"Smaller" is used for countable nouns (e.g., "fewer coins; less money"). "Less" is used for uncountable nouns (e.g., "less water", "less time").

What's the difference between "smaller" and "shorter"?

"Smaller" indicates a general reduction in size, while "shorter" specifically refers to a reduction in length or duration. A building might be "smaller", while a movie might be "shorter".