Big vs. Small — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on October 30, 2023
Big refers to large size or importance, while small means having less size or significance.
Difference Between Big and Small
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Big is used to describe something of large size, significance, or amount. Small is used for items of lesser size or importance.
Big often conveys importance or impact. Small typically indicates lesser impact or relevance.
In physical terms, big denotes a larger dimension or volume. Small suggests limited dimensions or volume.
Big can imply abundance or excess. Small implies scarcity or insufficiency.
Culturally, big is often associated with success or admiration. Small can sometimes carry connotations of inadequacy.
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Comparison Chart
Size
Large in dimension or volume
Limited in dimension or volume
Significance
Often conveys importance
Typically suggests lesser importance
Quantity
Indicates abundance or excess
Implies limited amount or scarcity
Impact
Can imply major impact or effect
Suggests minor impact or effect
Cultural Perception
Frequently associated with success
Sometimes linked to inadequacy
Compare with Definitions
Big
Large in quantity or degree.
He gave a big donation to the charity.
Small
A small amount.
Only a small number of tickets were left.
Big
Of considerable size or extent
Big staff cuts
Big buildings
Her big hazel eyes
Small
Being below average in size
A small car.
Big
Of considerable importance or seriousness
It's a big decision
His biggest problem is money
He made a big mistake
Small
Being below average in quantity or extent
A small donation.
A small project.
Big
Generous
‘I'm inclined to take pity on you.’ ‘That's big of you!’
Small
Limited in importance or significance; trivial
A small matter.
Big
Praise or recommend something highly
The record's been on the streets a while now, but it's still worth bigging up
Small
Having limited position, influence, or status; minor
"A crowd of small writers had vainly attempted to rival Addison" (Thomas Macaulay).
Big
The major league in a professional sport
The day he made it to the bigs, he forgot every minor league ballpark he ever played in
Small
Unpretentious; modest
Made a small living.
Helped the cause in my own small way.
Big
Of considerable size, number, quantity, magnitude, or extent; large.
Small
Not fully grown; very young
A small child.
Big
Having great strength or force
A big wind.
In a big rage.
Small
Narrow in outlook; petty
A small mind.
Big
Of great significance; momentous
A big decision.
A big victory.
Small
Having been belittled; humiliated
Their comments made me feel small.
Big
Mature or grown-up
Big enough to take the bus by herself.
Small
Diluted; weak. Used of alcoholic beverages.
Big
Older or eldest. Used especially of a sibling
My big brother is leaving for college next week.
Small
Lacking force or volume
A small voice.
Big
Filled up; brimming over
Felt big with love.
Small
Lowercase
Type the password in small letters.
Big
Bountiful; generous
Had a big heart.
Small
In small pieces
Cut the meat up small.
Big
Pregnant
Big with child.
Small
Without loudness or forcefulness; softly.
Big
Having or exercising considerable authority, control, or influence
A big official.
A big chief.
Small
In a small manner.
Big
Conspicuous in position, wealth, or importance; prominent
A big figure in the peace movement.
Small
A part that is smaller or narrower than the rest
The small of the back.
Big
Loud and firm; resounding
A big voice.
Small
Small things considered as a group.
Big
(Informal) Widely liked, used, or practiced; popular
"The Minneapolis indie-rock band was big in the blogosphere, beloved by hipsters, and unknown to pretty much everyone else" (Robert Levine).
Small
Chiefly British Small items of clothing.
Big
(Informal) Self-important; cocky
You're too big for your own good.
Small
Not large or big; insignificant; few in number.
A small serving of ice cream.
A small group.
He made us all feel small.
Big
In a pretentious or boastful way
Talked big about the new job.
Small
(figuratively) Young, as a child.
Remember when the children were small?
Big
With considerable success
Made it big with their recent best-selling album.
Small
Minuscule or lowercase, referring to written or printed letters.
Big
In a thorough or unmistakable way; emphatically
Failed big at the box office.
Small
Humiliated or insignificant.
The bullies had succeeded in making him feel small.
Big
Of great size, large.
Elephants are big animals, and they eat a lot.
Small
Evincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; paltry; mean.
Big
(informal) Fat.
Gosh, she is big!
Small
Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short.
A small space of time
Big
Large with young; pregnant; swelling; ready to give birth or produce.
She was big with child.
Small
Synonym of little
Small science
Big
(informal) Well-endowed, possessing large breasts in the case of a woman or a large penis in the case of a man.
Whoa, Nadia has gotten pretty big since she hit puberty.
Small
(archaic) Slender, gracefully slim.
Big
(informal) Adult; (of a child) older.
Kids should get help from big people if they want to use the kitchen.
We were just playing, and then some big kids came and chased us away.
She did it all on her own like a big girl.
Small
That is small the manufactured size.
I'll have a small coffee, thanks.
Big
Old, mature. Used to imply that somebody is too old for something, or acting immaturely.
Small
In a small fashion
Big
.informal Mature, conscientious, principled; generous.
That's very big of you; thank you!
I tried to be the bigger person and just let it go, but I couldn't help myself.
Small
In or into small pieces.
Big
(informal) Important or significant.
What's so big about that? I do it all the time.
Small
(obsolete) To a small extent.
Big
Popular.
That style is very big right now in Europe, especially among teenagers.
Small
(obsolete) In a low tone; softly.
Big
(of a city) Populous.
Small
An item labelled or denoted as being that size.
Two smalls and a large, please.
Big
(informal) Used as an intensifier, especially of negative-valence nouns
You are a big liar.
Why are you in such a big hurry?
Small
One who fits an item of that size.
Big
Operating on a large scale, especially if therefore having undue or sinister influence.
There were concerns about the ethics of big pharma.
Big money
Big Tech, Big Steel (large or influential tech or steel companies)
Big Science (science performed by large terms, of large scope, with government or corporate funding)
Small
Any part of something that is smaller or slimmer than the rest, now usually with anatomical reference to the back.
Big
Enthusiastic (about).
I'm not big on the idea, but if you want to go ahead with it, I won't stop you.
Small
To make little or less.
Big
In a loud manner.
Small
(intransitive) To become small; to dwindle.
Big
In a boasting manner.
He's always talking big, but he never delivers.
Small
Having little size, compared with other things of the same kind; little in quantity or degree; diminutive; not large or extended in dimension; not great; not much; inconsiderable; as, a small man; a small river.
To compareGreat things with small.
Big
In a large amount or to a large extent.
He won big betting on the croquet championship.
Small
Being of slight consequence; feeble in influence or importance; unimportant; trivial; insignificant; as, a small fault; a small business.
Big
On a large scale, expansively.
You've got to think big to succeed at Amalgamated Plumbing.
Small
Envincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; - sometimes, in reproach, paltry; mean.
A true delineation of the smallest man is capable of interesting the greatest man.
Big
Hard.
He hit him big and the guy just crumpled.
Small
Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short; as, after a small space.
Big
An important or powerful person; a celebrity; a big name.
Small
Weak; slender; fine; gentle; soft; not loud.
Big
(in the plural) The big leagues, big time.
Small
In or to small extent, quantity, or degree; little; slightly.
Big
(university slang) A initiated member of a sorority who acts as a mentor to a new member (the little).
Small
Not loudly; faintly; timidly.
You may speak as small as you will.
Big
(BDSM) The participant in ageplay who acts out the older role.
Small
The small or slender part of a thing; as, the small of the leg or of the back.
Big
One or more kinds of barley, especially six-rowed barley.
Small
Smallclothes.
Big
To inhabit; occupy.
Small
To make little or less.
Big
To locate oneself.
Small
The slender part of the back
Big
To build; erect; fashion.
Small
A garment size for a small person
Big
To dwell; have a dwelling.
Small
Limited or below average in number or quantity or magnitude or extent;
A little dining room
A little house
A small car
A little (or small) group
A small voice
Big
Having largeness of size; of much bulk or magnitude; of great size; large.
Small
Limited in size or scope;
A small business
A newspaper with a modest circulation
Small-scale plans
A pocket-size country
Big
Great with young; pregnant; swelling; ready to give birth or produce; - often figuratively.
[Day] big with the fate of Cato and of Rome.
Small
Low or inferior in station or quality;
A humble cottage
A lowly parish priest
A modest man of the people
Small beginnings
Big
Having greatness, fullness, importance, inflation, distention, etc., whether in a good or a bad sense; as, a big heart; a big voice; big looks; to look big. As applied to looks, it indicates haughtiness or pride.
God hath not in heaven a bigger argument.
I talked big to them at first.
Small
Not fully grown;
What a big little boy you are
Small children
Big
Barley, especially the hardy four-rowed kind.
"Bear interchanges in local use, now with barley, now with bigg."
Small
Too small to be seen except under a microscope
Big
To build.
Small
Not large but sufficient in size or amount;
A modest salary
Modest inflation
Helped in my own small way
Big
Above average in size or number or quantity or magnitude or extent;
A large city
Set out for the big city
A large sum
A big (or large) barn
A large family
Big businesses
A big expenditure
A large number of newspapers
A big group of scientists
Large areas of the world
Small
(of a voice) faint;
A little voice
A still small voice
Big
Significant;
Graduation was a big day in his life
Small
Slight or limited; especially in degree or intensity or scope;
A series of death struggles with small time in between
Big
Of very great significance;
Deciding to drop the atom bomb was a very big decision
A momentous event
Small
Made to seem smaller or less (especially in worth);
Her comments made me feel small
Big
Conspicuous in position or importance;
A big figure in the movement
Big man on campus
He's very large in financial circles
A prominent citizen
Small
Lowercase;
Little a
Small a
E.e.cummings's poetry is written all in minuscule letters
Big
Very intense;
A bad headache
In a big rage
Had a big (or bad) shock
A bad earthquake
A bad storm
Small
Have fine or very small constituent particles;
A small misty rain
Big
Loud and firm;
A big voice
Big bold piano sounds
Small
On a small scale;
Think small
Big
Prodigious;
Big spender
Big eater
Heavy investor
Small
Having little size.
The small kitten fit in the palm of my hand.
Big
(of animals) fully developed;
An adult animal
A grown woman
Small
Of little importance.
It was a small mistake in the grand scheme.
Big
Marked by intense physical force;
A big wind
Small
Concerned with trivial matters.
Their argument was over a small detail.
Big
Feeling self-importance;
Too big for his britches
Had a swelled head
He was swelled with pride
Small
Not fully grown or developed.
The small child clung to her mother.
Big
Older brother or sister;
Big sister
Big
Exhibiting self-importance;
Big talk
Big
Generous and understanding and tolerant;
A heart big enough to hold no grudges
That's very big of you to be so forgiving
A large and generous spirit
A large heart
Magnanimous toward his enemies
Big
Given or giving freely;
Was a big tipper
The bounteous goodness of God
Bountiful compliments
A freehanded host
A handsome allowance
Saturday's child is loving and giving
A liberal backer of the arts
A munificent gift
Her fond and openhanded grandfather
Big
In an advanced stage of pregnancy;
Was big with child
Was great with child
Big
Extremely well;
His performance went over big
Big
In a boastful manner;
He talked big all evening
Big
On a grand scale;
Think big
Big
In a major way;
The play failed big at the box office
Big
Having considerable size.
The big elephant towered over the trees.
Big
Of great significance.
It was a big decision for her career.
Big
Widely liked or admired.
The movie became a big hit.
Big
Grown-up or mature.
She felt big when she first voted.
Common Curiosities
Do big and small have the same antonyms?
Often, but not always. For instance, 'tiny' is an antonym of 'big' but not a direct antonym of 'small'.
Is big always better?
Not necessarily; it depends on the situation and perspective.
Can we use big and small for abstract concepts?
Yes, such as a big idea or small gesture.
Do big and small have the same synonyms?
Not always, as they often carry different connotations.
Is big a subjective term?
Yes, it often depends on individual perception.
Can small things have a big impact?
Yes, even small actions can lead to significant changes.
Can big refer to age?
Yes, it can imply maturity or adulthood.
Can something be big and small at the same time?
Yes, depending on context. A big ant is still small compared to a dog.
Is small always negative?
No, it can be positive, especially when precision or delicacy is required.
Can something be described as too big or too small?
Yes, especially when it doesn't fit certain criteria or expectations.
Are big and small used differently in idiomatic expressions?
Yes, idioms often use these words metaphorically.
Does the meaning of big and small change in different fields?
Yes, their meanings can vary in different contexts, such as in physics or economics.
Can big and small be used in a relative sense?
Yes, they are often used comparatively.
Do big and small have degrees of comparison?
Yes, like bigger/smaller and biggest/smallest.
How do culture and context affect the use of big and small?
Cultural norms and situational context can significantly influence their interpretation.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
