minor 1 of 2

adjective

ˈmī-nər How to pronounce minor (audio)
Definition of minornext
1
as in lesser
having not so great importance or rank as another some minor official with an exaggerated sense of his own importance

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in smaller
of little or less value or merit a minor poet who is little read nowadays

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in small
lacking importance only a minor detail, which we can easily disregard for the moment

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

minor

2 of 2

noun

as in juvenile

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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 minor
Adjective
There’s too often little reporting on roller-coaster incidents, in part because rules and regulations can vary by state, and also because most infractions are deemed relatively minor and quickly handled in-house by the various parks. — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 20 Oct. 2026 For scratches or minor dings from fender benders, owners can replace the exterior body panels themselves. — Eric Bangeman, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026
Noun
In 2003, Neverland Ranch was raided by police as part of an investigation into child molestation allegations against Jackson made by a minor. — Bailey Bujnosek, InStyle, 24 Sep. 2026 The family of a minor who attended a Nike training camp is suing the company and the National Scholastic Athletics Foundation (NSAF) on allegations that she was raped during a weekend camp for elite high school athletes. — Anna Lazarus Caplan, PEOPLE, 22 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for minor
Recent Examples of Synonyms for minor
  1. lesser
  2. inferior
  3. small
  4. juvenile
  5. less
  6. mean
  7. slight
  8. adolescent
Adjective
  • Even lesser-scale incidents like the Varsity Blues college admissions scandal and the Volkswagen emissions scandal erode trust in the institutions that help make our society possible and push it forward.
    — Lindsey Witmer Collins, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
  • Toronto’s Fred VanVleet appears to be the top target, but Miami’s Kyle Lowry, Utah’s Mike Conley and, perhaps to a lesser extent, Charlotte’s Terry Rozier have been linked to the team at various points.
    — Staff Writer Follow, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2023
Definition of lesser
Adjective
  • The idea is to sound like an inferior buck in the brush, one that is roaming around a mature deer’s space and getting on his nerves.
    — Michael Hanback, Outdoor Life, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Only 272 yards, at home, against a UCLA team that unquestionably has inferior talent?
    — Ian Miller OutKick, FOXNews.com, 11 Oct. 2026
Definition of inferior
Adjective
  • Comparing households aged 72 and older in 2022 with those aged 75 and older in 2025, Maggiulli calculated a smaller—but still substantial—21% increase.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • The development could help make optical atomic clocks smaller and more suitable for use outside laboratories.
    — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of small
Noun
  • The law did not cover every violent crime and depended partly on whether prosecutors could have sought adult prosecution when the offender was a juvenile.
    — Leigh Egan, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026
  • The driver and two juveniles were still with the vehicle when officers and paramedics arrived, Moses said.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of juvenile
Adjective
  • The Dells’ money will go to children in ZIP codes with median incomes of $150,000 or less, giving millions of families a chance to start building wealth early.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Agility Robotics’ next humanoid robot is designed to spend more of the day moving goods and less time plugged into a charger.
    — Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of less
Adjective
  • The clear differences, especially how much shoppers care about price, discounts and traditional channels like email and SMS instead of social media, mean brands should focus less on chasing new tech trends and more on the basics that drive sales.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026
  • In Jennifer’s Body, Needy (Seyfried) is BFFs with the titular mean girl played by Fox, whose body becomes possessed by a succubus with a taste for teen boys after a botched sacrifice by a devil-worshipping boy band (led by Adam Brody).
    — Glenn Garner, Deadline, 16 Oct. 2026
Definition of mean
Adjective
  • The two remained locked in a tight race as early voting nears with Talarico having a slight edge in most polls.
    — Lauren Green, The Washington Examiner, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The bodice of the top was a crisp white, while the sleeves were cast in vibrant yellow, a slight nod to the bold color trend for the season.
    — Julia Teti, Footwear News, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of slight
Noun
  • Ariel Gutiérrez’s intimate coming-of-age drama examines how sudden loss can force an adolescent to confront fear, responsibility and the possibility of rebuilding a life after trauma.
    — Anna Marie de la Fuente, Variety, 9 Oct. 2026
  • Getty An island that had spent decades pairing glamour with license was perhaps the wrong place to entrust an adolescent to unusually permissive relatives.
    — Paul Jebara, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of adolescent

Browse Nearby Words

mink
minor
minorities
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Cite this Entry

“Minor.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/minor. Accessed 22 Oct. 2026.

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