small print

American  

noun

1. fine print.

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small print British  

noun

1. matter in a contract, etc, printed in small type, esp when considered to be a trap for the unwary

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small print Idioms  

1. Also, fine print. The details in a contract or other document, often indicating restrictions or other disadvantages. For example, Be sure you read the small print before you sign your name to it, or They had the warranty terms in fine print, so you'd overlook the fact that it was only good for a month. This idiom alludes to the fact that such material is often printed in smaller type than the rest of the document. [Mid-1900s]

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Example Sentences

See Examples For:

small print

Keep original documents, certificates of coverage, premium records, small print relating to your benefits, and reference numbers of all communications/complaints.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 12, 2026

"So always read the small print and check to see whether your personal data will be used purely for generic marketing, or whether this will be used to build a profile of spending habits."

From BBC ● Sep. 3, 2026

Record time, though, isn’t defined and small print on the official website External link warns “additional small fees” may apply depending on where the applicant is from.

From Barron's ● Mar. 6, 2026

That’s quite a roster of side effects, like the small print at the end of drug company TV commercials.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 5, 2026

Now I have bent close with a glass over the small print of her and reread the footnotes, and I wonder if it was true.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

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