DWARF Synonyms: 199 Similar and Opposite Words

dwarf 1 of 3

noun

ˈdwȯrf

Definition of dwarf

as in elf

an imaginary being usually having a small human form and magical powers Snow White and the seven dwarfs

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

as in diminutive

something (such as an animal) much smaller than others of its kind Shetland ponies are the dwarfs of the horse world

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in nobody

a person of no importance or influence it would be ridiculous to compare the two sculptors—one's a giant of the art world and the other's a dwarf

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dwarf

2 of 3

verb

as in to halt

to hold back the normal growth of shrubs dwarfed by the lack of water

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dwarf

3 of 3

adjective

as in dwarfish

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of dwarf

Noun

While most citrus trees are too large for indoor growing, there are a few small or dwarf varieties of citrus that can be kept indoors year-round in pots. — Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 16 Oct. 2026 These explosions, known as hypernovas, were first proposed to explain unusual stars in the halo of our galaxy, the Milky Way, and in a neighboring dwarf galaxy. — Robert Lea, Space.com, 14 Oct. 2026

Verb

The agency has more than 630,000 employees, dwarfing many Cabinet departments. — ABC News, 28 Sep. 2026 In Lourdes, a holy site in southern France, around 150,000 attended an open-air papal Mass, according to Vatican estimates which dwarf the numbers of faithful who turned out for the last papal visit in 2008. — Christopher Lamb, CNN Money, 28 Sep. 2026

Adjective

Bearss Lime The Bearss lime tree (Citrus × latifolia), also known as Persian or Tahitian lime, is one of the most popular dwarf citrus trees to grow in containers. — Gemma Johnstone, The Spruce, 5 June 2026 Currently cloud calls dwarf local model usage for custom agents simply calculated by adoption. — Amir Husain, Forbes.com, 2 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for dwarf

Recent Examples of Synonyms for dwarf

Noun

Guests to The Elf Experience will meet one of Santa’s helpers before entering Papa Elf’s storybook and heading to the North Pole to learn about the life of an elf.

— Ryan Gajewski, HollywoodReporter, 17 Sep. 2026
In the dark comedy Bad Santa, Thornton plays Willie, a miserable, heavy-drinking con man who dresses up as Santa with his elf sidekick (Tony Cox) to rob department stores on Christmas Eve.

— Leigh Blickley, Entertainment Weekly, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of elf

Noun

The more common nickname, El Mencho, is said to be a diminutive of his first name, Nemesio.

— Senior Editor, Los Angeles Times, 23 Feb. 2026
Another gender-neutral name that had a burst of popularity in the ‘80s and ‘90s, Jamie was a go-to for girls or a diminutive of James for boys.

— Kara Nesvig, Parents, 20 Feb. 2026

Definition of diminutive

Noun

In the trailer, the civilians are selling themselves as a new breed of nobodies.

— Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 17 Aug. 2026
Despite the tragicomic instability and the rotating cast of nobodies temporarily tasked with running the country, when seen in macroeconomic terms, Peru appears to be doing just fine, thank you.

— Daniel Alarcón, New Yorker, 4 June 2026

Definition of nobody

Verb

Upon taking office, the Biden administration stopped turning away unaccompanied child migrants, attempted to halt Immigration and Customs Enforcement deportations for 100 days, and suspended border wall construction.

— Anna Giaritelli, The Washington Examiner, 14 Oct. 2026
Heavy sediment plumes might wipe out host bacteria, halting essential nutrient cycles that sustain the broader ocean.

— Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of halt

Noun

In this case, that’s Haddad’s uncle Charlie (played by a bubbling Jonathan Raviv), who is technically his father’s first cousin, but is also — crucially and non-derogatorily — very much a fairy.

— Jackson McHenry, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026
But it should be based on tax projections, not procrastination or faith in the retirement account fairy.

— Ronald Stair, Forbes.com, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of fairy

Noun

In March, Mattel dolled up Williams in honor of International Women’s Day, putting the toy in a smart hounds tooth pantsuit and pearls to highlight her entrepreneurial side.

— Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026
What’s the one toy or book your kid doesn’t ignore after five minutes?

— Anna Moeslein, Glamour, 14 Oct. 2026

Definition of toy

Noun

There’s that vibrancy and, on the other side of the ledger, dead boys, ciphers, unfinished or unfinishable quests.

— Katy Waldman, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
But in my view, our relationships to animals, whose lives are untouched by the existential woes and artifices of personhood, are the richest and most evident ciphers for our own often inscrutable psyches.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 June 2026

Definition of cipher

Verb

Optional filters can be slotted in each module (when available) to suppress city lighting, adjust for solar imagery, and cater for different wavelengths.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 15 Oct. 2026
But Uthmeier contends an overly broad reading of the First Amendment’s Establishment Clause has been twisted into a tool to suppress Christians and other believers.

— Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 15 Oct. 2026

Definition of suppress

Browse Nearby Words

DVDs

dwarf

dwarfed

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Dwarf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dwarf. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of dwarf

noun

verb

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Should we say ‘elfs’ or ‘elves'?

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on dwarf

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fervid

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes

Synonyms of dwarf

noun

verb

adjective

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Articles Related to dwarf

Should we say ‘elfs’ or ‘elves'?

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster on dwarf

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

fervid

Popular in Grammar & Usage

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Popular in Wordplay

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

Did 'orange' the fruit or the color come first?

Popular

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'

16 Food Words Recently Added to the Dictionary

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

Games & Quizzes