small change

noun

Synonyms of small changenext
1
: coins of low denomination
2

Examples of small change in a Sentence

a pocket full of small change The fine is a lot of money to some people, but to him it's small change. My problems are small change compared to yours. He wasn't a major criminal. He was strictly small change.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
As the fascination with Ernetti grows into something unhealthy, Béatrice subtly grows more tired, more distracted, more irritable and desperate for answers, small changes Sellier conveys with a smart sense of restraint. Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 2 Sep. 2026 Implementing even a small change to an analog system involves physical alterations such as wiring, disconnections, connections and hardware validation. Timor Brik, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026 Even relatively small changes in gravity can leave visible signatures in their shapes. Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 31 Aug. 2026 General Daily Insight for August 29, 2026 A small change in plans could make the day work better than expected. Tarot.com, Hartford Courant, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for small change

Word History

First Known Use

1679, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of small change was in 1679

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Cite this Entry

“Small change.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/small%20change. Accessed 4 Sep. 2026.

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