# smaller

/ˈsmɔɫɝ/ (US) · /smˈɔːlɐ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/smaller
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. less big

adjective · CEFR A1

not as big as something else.

For teachers: the comparative degree of 'small', denoting a physical size or scale that is less than that of a reference object.

- The new apartment is smaller than our old house, but it is much closer to the city centre.
- While the prototype was significantly smaller than the final production model, it successfully demonstrated the core mechanical principles of the design.

## Examples

- This shirt is smaller than the one I bought yesterday.
- The new apartment is much smaller than our old house, so we need to sell some furniture.
- 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.

---

From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.