dwarf 1 of 3

noun

ˈdwȯrf How to pronounce dwarf (audio)
Definition of dwarfnext
1
as in elf
an imaginary being usually having a small human form and magical powers Snow White and the seven dwarfs

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2
as in diminutive
something (such as an animal) much smaller than others of its kind Shetland ponies are the dwarfs of the horse world

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
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

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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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

dwarf

3 of 3

adjective

as in dwarfish

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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
For a spherical shape with a striking blue color, opt for the dwarf globe blue spruce (Picea pungens ‘Globosa’). — Megan Hughes, Better Homes & Gardens, 29 July 2026 Norse mythology reinforced this tradition through the story of Fafnir, a dwarf transformed into a dragon by his overwhelming greed for a cursed hoard of gold. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 24 July 2026
Verb
Outside groups spent more than $63 million supporting Haley Stevens, a candidate backed by the establishment, dwarfing the amount spent on her opponent, a brash progressive named Abdul El-Sayed with a war chest some nine times smaller. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 5 Aug. 2026 If approved, the constellation would dwarf today’s orbital population. — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Aug. 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
  1. elf
  2. diminutive
  3. nobody
  4. halt
  5. fairy
  6. toy
  7. cipher
  8. suppress
Noun
  • Just over a year after its acquisition, Hailey Bieber's brand contributed $160 million in quarterly sales of a total $479 million—as sales of elf's namesake brand slipped.
    — Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • Reading allows children to live in a vibrant world, surrounded by fairies, elves and talking animals, transporting them to places where the impossible becomes real.
    — Michelle Kearney, The Conversation, 7 July 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
  • Yvonne and Nick’s disastrous wedding dinner is the day the cast went from nobodies to actual practitioners of the reality-television arts and sciences.
    — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 1 July 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
  • Flights are typically halted from the nearby airport when the President is taking off.
    — Alexandra Skores, CNN Money, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The Santa Paula Animal Rescue Center filed an emergency motion to halt the euthanasia of a dog that attacked several people.
    — Matthew Rodriguez, CBS News, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of halt
Noun
  • Melissa, who affectionately calls her daughters Big Sis and Lil Sis online, says that the fairy holding an open book in her lap is representative of her older daughter who loves to read.
    — Georgia Slater, PEOPLE, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Fill yours with soft fairy lights, autumn potpourri, or Halloween candy.
    — Sophia Beams, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of fairy
Noun
  • Mattel is revamping its video game business with the launch of Mattel Game Studios, a division of the toy brand that will develop, publish and operate original interactive experiences inspired by Mattel IP.
    — Jennifer Maas, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Authorities in Washington, DC, shut down traffic in a residential neighborhood after an adult toy was discovered outside a fire station.
    — Michelle Del Rey, USA Today, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of toy
Noun
  • 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
  • Consider a dashboard that shows applications, including keys and libraries; network traffic protocols and ciphers; hardware, such as HSMs and TPMs; and third-party dependencies, including cryptographic or software bills of materials.
    — Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 26 May 2026
Definition of cipher
Verb
  • Some studies show that saffron may potentially help suppress appetite and aid in weight loss, reduce the symptoms of PMS and improve libido.
    — BestReviews, Chicago Tribune, 7 Aug. 2026
  • And the nastiest errors of all, the bit-flips, are suppressed to around one in a million operations.
    — John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2026
Definition of suppress

Browse Nearby Words

DVDs
dwarf
dwarfed
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Cite this Entry

“Dwarf.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dwarf. Accessed 15 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on dwarf

Nglish: Translation of dwarf for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about dwarf

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