small-scale
Americanadjective
-
of limited extent; of small scope.
a small-scale enterprise.
-
being a relatively small map, model, etc., of the original and, hence, showing relatively little detail.
adjective
-
of limited size or scope
-
(of a map, model, etc) giving a relatively small representation of something, usually missing out details
Etymology
Origin of small-scale
First recorded in 1850–55
Compare meaning
How does small-scale compare to similar and commonly confused words? Explore the most common comparisons:
Explanation
Anything that's small-scale is minor or limited in some way, like your town's small-scale public art project, which includes only two modest statues. Your English class might require one long research paper, or several small-scale essays. And while your best friend's family throws enormous birthday parties with hired entertainment and catered food, your family may prefer quieter, small-scale celebrations. The antonym of small-scale is large-scale, and both words date from the early 17th century.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Mexican government forecasters say troughs - small-scale low pressure features - are expected in the middle and upper layers of the atmosphere over central parts of Mexico on Sunday, making the atmosphere very unstable.
From BBC • Jul. 4, 2026
With Brunon’s guidance, they began by drawing small-scale sketches, and eventually they were dipping brushes into cans of paint.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 27, 2026
The book claims that “we can encourage” more small-scale activities, but who “we” is and what “encourage” means is sometimes vague.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 2, 2026
"Initially, these perturbations lead to turbulent flows and magnetic fields in small-scale structures, then, over time, they emerge into larger, ordered structures."
From Science Daily • May 26, 2026
Hunter-gatherer societies tend to be relatively egalitarian, to lack full-time bureaucrats and hereditary chiefs, and to have small-scale political organization at the level of the band or tribe.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
