Small vs. Few — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Small and Few
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Compare with Definitions
Small
Being below average in size
A small car.
Few
Amounting to or consisting of a small number
One of my few bad habits. See Usage Note at less.
Small
Being below average in quantity or extent
A small donation.
A small project.
Few
Being more than one but indefinitely small in number
Bowled a few strings.
Small
Limited in importance or significance; trivial
A small matter.
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Few
An indefinitely small number of persons or things
A few of the books have torn jackets.
Small
Having limited position, influence, or status; minor
"A crowd of small writers had vainly attempted to rival Addison" (Thomas Macaulay).
Few
An exclusive or limited number
The discerning few.
The fortunate few.
Small
Unpretentious; modest
Made a small living.
Helped the cause in my own small way.
Few
(preceded by another determiner) An indefinite, but usually small, number of.
There are a few cars (=some, but a relatively small number) in the street.
Quite a few people (=a significant number) were pleasantly surprised.
I think he's had a few drinks. [This usage is likely ironic.]
Small
Not fully grown; very young
A small child.
Few
(used alone) Not many; a small (in comparison with another number stated or implied) but somewhat indefinite number of.
There are very few people who understand quantum theory.
I was expecting a big crowd at the party, but very few people (=almost none) turned up.
Small
Narrow in outlook; petty
A small mind.
Few
Obscuring one to two oktas (eighths) of the sky.
Tonight: A few clouds. Increasing cloudiness overnight.
NOAA definition of the term "few clouds": An official sky cover classification for aviation weather observations, descriptive of a sky cover of 1/8 to 2/8. This is applied only when obscuring phenomena aloft are present--that is, not when obscuring phenomena are surface-based, such as fog.
Small
Having been belittled; humiliated
Their comments made me feel small.
Few
(US?) Having a 10 percent chance of measurable precipitation (0.01 inch); used interchangeably with isolated.
Small
Diluted; weak. Used of alcoholic beverages.
Few
Few people, few things.
Many are called, but few are chosen.
Small
Lacking force or volume
A small voice.
Few
Not many; small, limited, or confined in number; - indicating a small portion of units or individuals constituting a whole; often, by ellipsis of a noun, a few people.
Few know and fewer care.
Small
Lowercase
Type the password in small letters.
Few
An indefinite but relatively small number;
They bought a case of beer and drank a few
Small
In small pieces
Cut the meat up small.
Few
A small elite group;
It was designed for the discriminating few
Small
Without loudness or forcefulness; softly.
Few
A quantifier that can be used with count nouns and is often preceded by `a'; a small but indefinite number;
A few weeks ago
A few more wagons than usual
An invalid's pleasures are few and far between
Few roses were still blooming
Few women have led troops in battle
Small
In a small manner.
Small
A part that is smaller or narrower than the rest
The small of the back.
Small
Small things considered as a group.
Small
Chiefly British Small items of clothing.
Small
Not large or big; insignificant; few in number.
A small serving of ice cream.
A small group.
He made us all feel small.
Small
(figuratively) Young, as a child.
Remember when the children were small?
Small
Minuscule or lowercase, referring to written or printed letters.
Small
Humiliated or insignificant.
The bullies had succeeded in making him feel small.
Small
Evincing little worth or ability; not large-minded; paltry; mean.
Small
Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short.
A small space of time
Small
Synonym of little
Small science
Small
(archaic) Slender, gracefully slim.
Small
That is small the manufactured size.
I'll have a small coffee, thanks.
Small
In a small fashion
Small
In or into small pieces.
Small
(obsolete) To a small extent.
Small
(obsolete) In a low tone; softly.
Small
An item labelled or denoted as being that size.
Two smalls and a large, please.
Small
One who fits an item of that size.
Small
Any part of something that is smaller or slimmer than the rest, now usually with anatomical reference to the back.
Small
To make little or less.
Small
(intransitive) To become small; to dwindle.
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.
Small
Being of slight consequence; feeble in influence or importance; unimportant; trivial; insignificant; as, a small fault; a small business.
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.
Small
Not prolonged in duration; not extended in time; short; as, after a small space.
Small
Weak; slender; fine; gentle; soft; not loud.
Small
In or to small extent, quantity, or degree; little; slightly.
Small
Not loudly; faintly; timidly.
You may speak as small as you will.
Small
The small or slender part of a thing; as, the small of the leg or of the back.
Small
Smallclothes.
Small
To make little or less.
Small
The slender part of the back
Small
A garment size for a small person
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
Small
Limited in size or scope;
A small business
A newspaper with a modest circulation
Small-scale plans
A pocket-size country
Small
Low or inferior in station or quality;
A humble cottage
A lowly parish priest
A modest man of the people
Small beginnings
Small
Not fully grown;
What a big little boy you are
Small children
Small
Too small to be seen except under a microscope
Small
Not large but sufficient in size or amount;
A modest salary
Modest inflation
Helped in my own small way
Small
(of a voice) faint;
A little voice
A still small voice
Small
Slight or limited; especially in degree or intensity or scope;
A series of death struggles with small time in between
Small
Made to seem smaller or less (especially in worth);
Her comments made me feel small
Small
Lowercase;
Little a
Small a
E.e.cummings's poetry is written all in minuscule letters
Small
Have fine or very small constituent particles;
A small misty rain
Small
On a small scale;
Think small
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