small-scale
Americanadjective
-
of limited extent; of small scope.
a small-scale enterprise.
-
being a relatively small map, model, etc., of the original and, hence, showing relatively little detail.
adjective
-
of limited size or scope
-
(of a map, model, etc) giving a relatively small representation of something, usually missing out details
Etymology
Origin of small-scale
First recorded in 1850–55
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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.
After Zion was raided and its physical church was shut in 2018, it increasingly took its ministry online while establishing small-scale branches around the country.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 20, 2026
That’s no longer the case, so you would be forgiven for attaching more importance to the small-scale appeal of this adaptation of Irish author Bernard MacLaverty’s 2017 novel.
From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 20, 2026
Interestingly, beyond a couple of small-scale events, there hasn’t been much talk of sending him out on the road again.
From Salon • Feb. 17, 2026
Other types of licences include permits for sand extractions, small-scale exploration or scientific research.
From Barron's • Feb. 14, 2026
In most of the states formed over the Maya area of Mesoamerica and the Andes, irrigation systems always remained small-scale ones that local communities could build and maintain themselves.
From "Guns, Germs, and Steel: The Fates of Human Societies" by Jared M. Diamond
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.
