small stuff
Americannoun
noun
Etymology
Origin of small stuff
First recorded in 1865–70
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
We want to chase “these big things,” as he described them, but sometimes it’s the small stuff we encounter along the way that counts the most.
From MarketWatch ● Dec. 31, 2025
They always say don’t sweat the small stuff, but I think it’s the small stuff that ultimately makes a difference here.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 24, 2025
Storage was mixed: there was a large closet in the entryway for hanging clothes and storing our bags, but no drawers meant we had to shuffle around the small stuff to keep everything organized.
From Salon ● Jul. 20, 2025
A relaxed environment can bring the best out of players, not sweating the small stuff can give the freedom to find peak performance.
From BBC ● Dec. 15, 2024
She lived in her own room, learned to sneak around, learned how to carry small stuff between her arms and her rib cage.
From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
