Thin vs. Small — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 20, 2024
Thin refers to having a small distance between opposite sides or surfaces, while small pertains to limited size, amount, or degree, often in comparison to what is typical or average.
Difference Between Thin and Small
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
Thin is primarily used to describe the physical characteristic of an object or person that has a small width or depth, implying a slender or narrow shape. It focuses on the dimension of thickness, or lack thereof, and can apply to various entities such as a thin slice of cake, thin hair, or a thin layer of paint. On the other hand, small is a more general adjective that refers to something of limited size, volume, or extent in comparison to others of its kind or to what is considered standard or average. Small can describe the overall dimensions, capacity, or magnitude of an object or concept and is not limited to a single dimension like thin.
While thin often relates to a single dimension (width or depth), small encompasses multiple dimensions or the overall size, making it applicable in a broader range of contexts. For example, a thin book focuses on the slimness of its pages or cover, whereas a small book might be limited in height, width, and thickness.
The choice between thin and small often depends on the aspect of size or dimension one intends to emphasize. Thin is more specific and detailed, often highlighting a notable characteristic of slimness or narrowness, while small provides a more general description of size, implying something is lesser in size or amount than what is typical or expected.
Comparison Chart
Definition
Having a small distance between opposite sides or surfaces; slender or narrow.
Limited in size, amount, or degree; not large or big.
Focus
Emphasizes slimness or narrowness in width or depth.
Emphasizes overall limited size, volume, or extent.
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Application
Often used to describe physical characteristics related to width or depth.
Used more broadly to describe size, volume, capacity, or magnitude.
Contexts
Suitable for describing objects, layers, features, or physical attributes.
Applicable to objects, spaces, quantities, concepts, and physical attributes.
Examples
Thin ice, thin fabric, thin book (focusing on thickness).
Small car, small house, small portion (focusing on overall dimensions or amount).
Compare with Definitions
Thin
Having little thickness or depth.
She preferred wearing thin layers of clothing during the fall.
Small
Insignificant or unimportant.
It was a small mistake, easily forgiven.
Thin
Sparse or scanty.
His hair had grown thin over the years.
Small
Limited in size or extent.
They lived in a small apartment in the city.
Thin
Narrow or slender in form.
The thin alleyway was barely wide enough for a person to pass through.
Small
Lesser in amount or degree.
He felt a small sense of relief when the presentation was over.
Thin
Fine or delicate in texture or structure.
The artist used a thin brush for the intricate details.
Small
Young or younger.
When she was small, she loved to explore the garden.
Thin
Lacking in density or viscosity.
She added water to the sauce to make it thinner.
Small
Limited in scope or scale.
The community theater put on a small production each year.
Thin
With opposite surfaces or sides that are close or relatively close together
A thin line of paint
Thin slices of bread
Small
Being below average in size
A small car.
Thin
Having little, or too little, flesh or fat on the body
A thin, gawky adolescent
Small
Being below average in quantity or extent
A small donation.
A small project.
Thin
Having few parts or members relative to the area covered or filled; sparse
A depressingly thin crowd
His hair was going thin
Small
Limited in importance or significance; trivial
A small matter.
Thin
(of a liquid substance) not containing much solid; flowing freely
Thin soup
Small
Having limited position, influence, or status; minor
"A crowd of small writers had vainly attempted to rival Addison" (Thomas Macaulay).
Thin
Lacking substance or quality; weak or inadequate
The evidence is rather thin
Small
Unpretentious; modest
Made a small living.
Helped the cause in my own small way.
Thin
With little thickness or depth
A thin-sliced loaf
Cut the ham as thin as possible
Small
Not fully grown; very young
A small child.
Thin
Make or become less dense, crowded, or numerous
The trees began to thin out
The remorseless fire of archers thinned their ranks
Small
Narrow in outlook; petty
A small mind.
Thin
Make or become smaller in thickness
Their effect in thinning the ozone layer is probably slowing the global warming trend
Small
Having been belittled; humiliated
Their comments made me feel small.
Thin
Hit (a ball) above its centre.
Small
Diluted; weak. Used of alcoholic beverages.
Thin
Relatively small in extent from one surface to the opposite, usually in the smallest solid dimension
A thin book.
Small
Lacking force or volume
A small voice.
Thin
Not great in diameter or cross section; fine
Thin wire.
Small
Lowercase
Type the password in small letters.
Thin
Having little bodily flesh or fat; lean or slender.
Small
In small pieces
Cut the meat up small.
Thin
Not dense or concentrated; sparse
The thin vegetation of the plateau.
Small
Without loudness or forcefulness; softly.
Thin
More rarefied than normal
Thin air.
Small
In a small manner.
Thin
Flowing with relative ease; not viscous
A thin oil.
Small
A part that is smaller or narrower than the rest
The small of the back.
Thin
Watery
Thin soup.
Small
Small things considered as a group.
Thin
Sparsely supplied or provided; scanty
A thin menu.
Small
Chiefly British Small items of clothing.
Thin
Having a low number of transactions
Thin trading in the stock market.
Small
Not large or big; insignificant; few in number.
A small serving of ice cream.
A small group.
He made us all feel small.
Thin
Lacking force or substance; flimsy
A thin attempt.
Small
(figuratively) Young, as a child.
Remember when the children were small?
Thin
Lacking resonance or fullness; tinny
The piano had a thin sound.
Small
Minuscule or lowercase, referring to written or printed letters.
Thin
Lacking radiance or intensity
Thin light.
Small
Humiliated or insignificant.
The bullies had succeeded in making him feel small.
Thin
Not having enough photographic density or contrast to make satisfactory prints. Used of a negative.
Small
Evincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; paltry; mean.
Thin
In a thin manner
Spread the varnish thin if you don't want it to wrinkle.
Small
Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short.
A small space of time
Thin
So as to be thin
Cut the cheese thin.
Small
Synonym of little
Small science
Thin
To make or become thin or thinner.
Small
(archaic) Slender, gracefully slim.
Thin
Having little thickness or extent from one surface to its opposite.
Thin plate of metal;
Thin paper;
Thin board;
Thin covering
Small
That is small the manufactured size.
I'll have a small coffee, thanks.
Thin
Very narrow in all diameters; having a cross section that is small in all directions.
Thin wire;
Thin string
Small
In a small fashion
Thin
Having little body fat or flesh; slim; slender; lean; gaunt.
Thin person
Small
In or into small pieces.
Thin
Of low viscosity or low specific gravity.
Water is thinner than honey.
Small
(obsolete) To a small extent.
Thin
Scarce; not close, crowded, or numerous; not filling the space.
The trees of a forest are thin; the corn or grass is thin.
Small
(obsolete) In a low tone; softly.
Thin
(golf) Describing a poorly played golf shot where the ball is struck by the bottom part of the club head. See fat, shank, toe.
Small
An item labelled or denoted as being that size.
Two smalls and a large, please.
Thin
Lacking body or volume; small; feeble; not full.
Small
One who fits an item of that size.
Thin
Slight; small; slender; flimsy; superficial; inadequate; not sufficient for a covering.
A thin disguise
Small
Any part of something that is smaller or slimmer than the rest, now usually with anatomical reference to the back.
Thin
(aviation) Of a route: relatively little used.
Small
To make little or less.
Thin
Poor; scanty; without money or success.
Small
(intransitive) To become small; to dwindle.
Thin
(philately) A loss or tearing of paper from the back of a stamp, although not sufficient to create a complete hole.
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.
Thin
Any food produced or served in thin slices.
Chocolate mint thins
Potato thins
Wheat thins
Small
Being of slight consequence; feeble in influence or importance; unimportant; trivial; insignificant; as, a small fault; a small business.
Thin
(transitive) To make thin or thinner.
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.
Thin
(intransitive) To become thin or thinner.
The crowds thinned after the procession had passed: there was nothing more to see.
Small
Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short; as, after a small space.
Thin
To dilute.
Small
Weak; slender; fine; gentle; soft; not loud.
Thin
To remove some plants or parts of plants in order to improve the growth of what remains.
Small
In or to small extent, quantity, or degree; little; slightly.
Thin
Not thickly or closely; in a scattered state.
Seed sown thin
Small
Not loudly; faintly; timidly.
You may speak as small as you will.
Thin
Having little thickness or extent from one surface to its opposite; as, a thin plate of metal; thin paper; a thin board; a thin covering.
Small
The small or slender part of a thing; as, the small of the leg or of the back.
Thin
Not close; not crowded; not filling the space; not having the individuals of which the thing is composed in a close or compact state; hence, not abundant; as, the trees of a forest are thin; the corn or grass is thin.
Ferrara is very large, but extremely thin of people.
Small
Smallclothes.
Thin
Not full or well grown; wanting in plumpness.
Seven thin ears . . . blasted with the east wind.
Small
To make little or less.
Thin
Not stout; slim; slender; lean; gaunt; as, a person becomes thin by disease.
Small
The slender part of the back
Thin
Wanting in body or volume; small; feeble; not full.
Thin, hollow sounds, and lamentable screams.
Small
A garment size for a small person
Thin
Slight; small; slender; flimsy; wanting substance or depth or force; superficial; inadequate; not sufficient for a covering; as, a thin disguise.
My tale is done, for my wit is but thin.
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
Thin
Not thickly or closely; in a seattered state; as, seed sown thin.
Spain is thin sown of people.
Small
Limited in size or scope;
A small business
A newspaper with a modest circulation
Small-scale plans
A pocket-size country
Thin
To make thin (in any of the senses of the adjective).
Small
Low or inferior in station or quality;
A humble cottage
A lowly parish priest
A modest man of the people
Small beginnings
Thin
To grow or become thin; - used with some adverbs, as out, away, etc.; as, geological strata thin out, i. e., gradually diminish in thickness until they disappear.
Small
Not fully grown;
What a big little boy you are
Small children
Thin
Lose thickness; become thin or thinner
Small
Too small to be seen except under a microscope
Thin
Make thin or thinner;
Thin the solution
Small
Not large but sufficient in size or amount;
A modest salary
Modest inflation
Helped in my own small way
Thin
Lessen the strength or flavor of a solution or mixture;
Cut bourbon
Small
(of a voice) faint;
A little voice
A still small voice
Thin
Take off weight
Small
Made to seem smaller or less (especially in worth);
Her comments made me feel small
Thin
Of relatively small extent from one surface to the opposite or in cross section;
Thin wire
A thin chiffon blouse
A thin book
A thin layer of paint
Small
Lowercase;
Little a
Small a
E.e.cummings's poetry is written all in minuscule letters
Thin
Lacking excess flesh;
You can't be too rich or too thin
Yon Cassius has a lean and hungry look
Small
Have fine or very small constituent particles;
A small misty rain
Thin
Very narrow;
A thin line across the page
Small
On a small scale;
Think small
Thin
Having little substance or significance;
A flimsy excuse
Slight evidence
A tenuous argument
A thin plot
Thin
Not dense;
A thin beard
Trees were sparse
Thin
Relatively thin in consistency or low in density; not viscous;
Air is thin at high altitudes
A thin soup
Skimmed milk is much thinner than whole milk
Thin oil
Thin
(of sound) lacking resonance or volume;
A thin feeble cry
Thin
Lacking spirit or sincere effort;
A thin smile
Common Curiosities
Is "thin" always related to physical dimensions?
While "thin" often refers to physical dimensions, it can also metaphorically describe sparse or insufficient non-physical quantities, like a thin argument.
Can an object be both thin and small?
Yes, an object can be both thin and small if it has a slender or narrow shape and is also limited in overall size or volume.
How do "small" and "thin" differ in clothing descriptions?
In clothing, "thin" describes the fabric's thickness (like a thin sweater), while "small" refers to the garment's size relative to standard sizing.
Can "small" imply something positive?
"Small" can have positive connotations, such as intimacy, manageability, or charm, depending on the context (e.g., a small, cozy café).
Does "thin" always have a negative connotation?
"Thin" doesn't always carry a negative connotation; it can be neutral or positive, especially when thinness is desired or advantageous (e.g., thin and light electronics).
Can landscapes or spaces be described as "thin"?
Landscapes or spaces are rarely described as "thin" unless referring to a specific narrow feature (e.g., a thin strip of land).
How do "small" and "thin" apply in art and design?
In art and design, "thin" can describe lines or materials, focusing on delicacy or fineness, while "small" can refer to the scale or size of a work or detail.
Can "small" refer to quantities other than size?
"Small" can refer to quantities that are not directly related to physical size, such as a small chance or a small amount of time.
Is "thin" used in scientific contexts?
"Thin" is used in scientific contexts to describe layers, films, or membranes where the dimension of thickness is a critical characteristic, such as in "thin films" in materials science.
How does perspective affect the use of "small" and "thin"?
Perspective can significantly affect the use of these terms, as what is considered small or thin can vary based on personal experiences, cultural standards, and context.
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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.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
