smaller
smaller — adjective
1. having less width, height, weight, or amount than something else being compared,
having less width, height, weight, or amount than something else being compared, or than what was true before.
The new flat is smaller than the one Lara rented near the river.
smaller than + noun for direct comparison
Pack the books in the smaller box and put the toys in the big one.
attributive: the smaller [noun] picks the lesser of two options
After the move, Hugo got a smaller desk but he liked the view from his window.
Yuna's monthly food bill grew smaller once she stopped buying coffee at cafés.
Cut the carrots into smaller pieces so the soup cooks faster.
- tinier
stronger than smaller; suggests very small absolute size
- more compact
stresses efficient use of space rather than just less size
- narrower
comparison limited to width, not all dimensions
文法句型
smaller than [noun]
[noun] is smaller
用法筆記
Frequently appears with 'than' to name the standard of comparison, or attributively before a noun ('the smaller box') when picking the lesser of two known options.
常見錯誤
2. describing a child who is younger and physically not as tall or developed as the
describing a child who is younger and physically not as tall or developed as the other children being compared.
The teacher asked the smaller children to sit at the front so they could see the board.
attributive use with 'children' meaning the younger ones in the group
Christopher always shares his snacks with the smaller kids at the playground.
Quan helps his smaller cousins put on their shoes before they leave for school.
Parents of the smaller pupils were asked to send a packed lunch on the trip.
文法句型
smaller children
the smaller ones
用法筆記
Refers to children younger than the others in view, not to size in isolation. Distinguish from sense 1: 'a smaller child' in the size sense would need an explicit comparison ('smaller than her brother').
常見錯誤
3. covering a narrower range or fewer cases of an activity than another effort bein
covering a narrower range or fewer cases of an activity than another effort being compared.
After the budget cut, the charity ran a smaller campaign in three towns instead of ten.
smaller [activity/operation] meaning narrower scope
Noor and her co-workers launched a smaller pilot before rolling the app out to every region.
Élise prefers smaller classes because the teacher can answer everyone's question.
The factory shifted to a smaller production run while supply of parts was tight.
- more limited
stresses the cap or boundary on scope
- reduced
implies an active cut from a larger plan
文法句型
a smaller [activity/operation]
on a smaller scale
用法筆記
Object is typically an activity word: campaign, run, operation, programme, study, class, pilot. Distinguish from sense 1: it is the activity's reach, not the physical object's size.
4. less important or less likely to cause real trouble when set against something m
less important or less likely to cause real trouble when set against something more serious.
Tara wanted to fix the leaking tap before tackling the smaller issues in the kitchen.
smaller [issue/problem] with implicit comparison to a bigger one
Compared with the missed deadline, the typo in the email was a smaller mistake.
'Compared with X, Y was a smaller …' frame
Beatriz brushed off the smaller complaints and focused on what the customers really needed.
Gabriel said losing the keys was a smaller worry than missing the last train home.
- minor
more formal; common in written reports
- less serious
direct, neutral phrasing
- bigger
everyday opposite for problem size
- more serious
neutral and precise
文法句型
smaller problem
smaller issue
a smaller matter
用法筆記
Object is typically a problem word: issue, matter, mistake, worry, complaint, setback. Distinguish from sense 3: here the noun names a problem or concern, not an activity or operation.
5. feeling less important, less proud, or weakened, often after being criticised or
feeling less important, less proud, or weakened, often after being criticised or embarrassed in front of other people.
Min felt smaller every time the manager raised his voice in front of the team.
feel smaller after being criticised
Sirin said the cruel joke about her accent had made her feel smaller all evening.
make [someone] feel smaller pattern
Jabari shrank back in his chair, looking smaller after the boss read out his report.
Cyrus walked out of the meeting feeling smaller than when he had walked in.
- humbled
stronger; suggests the person accepted being lowered
- diminished
more formal; common in writing
- belittled
stresses the harm done by someone else's words
文法句型
feel smaller
look smaller
make [someone] feel smaller
用法筆記
Only used predicatively with feel, look, seem, or in a 'make someone feel smaller' frame. Always paired with a cause that lowered the person's confidence or status; rarely used about size in this sense.
常見錯誤
6. describing the lowercase forms of letters, the ones written without capitals suc
describing the lowercase forms of letters, the ones written without capitals such as a, b, c rather than A, B, C.
Vivek told the class to write the title in capitals and the rest in smaller letters.
contrasted with capitals to mark lowercase form
On the form, please print the surname in capitals and the first name in smaller letters.
Dahlia draws the smaller letters first and adds the capitals at the start of each sentence.
Anna learned the capital A and the smaller a on the same page of her notebook.
文法句型
smaller letters
the smaller a/b/c
用法筆記
Almost always contrasted with capital/capital letters within the same sentence; rarely used alone. Distinguish from sense 1 by the explicit capital/lowercase contrast.
常見錯誤
smaller — adverb
1. in a way that produces a less wide, less tall, or less filled-up result than bef
in a way that produces a less wide, less tall, or less filled-up result than before.
Please write smaller so your whole answer fits inside the box on the form.
after a verb like write to mean 'in less size'
Erik drew the second map smaller because he ran out of room on the page.
If you cut the cake smaller, more people at the party can have a piece.
Tariq folded the cloth smaller and tucked it under his arm before stepping outside.
- in less space
fuller paraphrase used in writing
- more tightly
when the action is folding or packing
- bigger
everyday opposite in the same casual register
文法句型
write smaller
draw smaller
cut smaller
用法筆記
Used after action verbs like write, draw, cut, fold, type. Often a teacher or parent's instruction; in formal writing, prefer 'in a smaller size'.
常見錯誤
smaller — noun
1. the narrow, dipped part of a person's back, just above where the hips begin.
the narrow, dipped part of a person's back, just above where the hips begin.
Hiro felt a sharp pain in the smaller of his back after lifting the heavy box.
the smaller of [possessive] back, a fixed noun phrase
The therapist pressed gently on the smaller of Amani's back to help the muscles relax.
Noa rested her hand on the smaller of her son's back as he walked beside her.
Old hikers often complain about a stiff feeling in the smaller of the back after a long day.
- lower back
everyday term, far more common
- lumbar region
medical register
文法句型
the smaller of [someone's] back
用法筆記
Always appears as 'the smaller of [possessive/the] back'. The more common everyday term is 'lower back'; 'smaller' in this anatomical sense is formal or literary.
常見錯誤
2. a person's underclothes, treated as one bundle of clothes ready for the laundry
a person's underclothes, treated as one bundle of clothes ready for the laundry basket.
Christopher put his smallers in the wash before heading down for breakfast.
plural-only noun used with possessives
Don't forget to hang your smallers on the line before the rain starts again.
Lara folded the towels and put the children's smallers in the top drawer.
Hugo bought new smallers because the old ones had gone thin at the seams.
文法句型
wash one's smallers
a pair of smallers
用法筆記
Always plural ('my smallers'), no singular form. Marked British and informal; rare outside laundry-talk contexts. In other varieties, 'underwear' or 'undies' is normal.