ENGLISH
REFERENCE

smaller

adj.
A1 Beginner US //ˈsmɔɫɝ// UK //smˈɔːlɐ// small·er

adj. less in size, amount, or importance than something else. You use this word when you compare two things and one is not as big as the other.

adj. the comparative form of small, indicating a lesser physical dimension, quantity, or degree relative to another entity.


SIMPLE

This shirt is smaller than the one I bought yesterday.

CONTEXTUAL

The new apartment is much smaller than our old house, so we need to sell some furniture.

COMPLEX

While the initial investment was smaller than anticipated, the long-term maintenance costs proved to be a significant burden on the company's annual budget.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Usage

As a comparative adjective, it is frequently followed by 'than' when the second element of the comparison is explicitly stated.

Pitfall

This box is more smaller.This box is smaller.Smaller is already a comparative form; adding 'more' creates a double comparative error.

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