small change
Americannoun
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coins of small denomination.
-
someone or something insignificant or trifling.
Those people are small change.
noun
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coins, esp those of low value
-
a person or thing that is not outstanding or important
Etymology
Origin of small change
First recorded in 1810–20
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.
The $250 million that Abu Dhabi United Group spent in 2008 to acquire Manchester City—at the behest of Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan—now seems like small change.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026
That seemingly small change could matter because the inductive effect is commonly used to explain molecular structure and chemical reactions.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
That may seem like a small change, but it’s a yellow flag for people who follow these things closely.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 19, 2026
The small change went a long way for buyers with smaller wrists, or who were looking to get something more understated.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 14, 2026
My father paces the living room, jingling his keys and small change in his pockets.
From "Cat's Eye" by Margaret Atwood
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
