Meaning & use
smidgen
Last updated
UK/ˈsmɪdʒən/
US/ˈsmɪdʒən/
Meaning
nounusually singularinformal
A very small amount of something, often used when cooking or when describing a feeling or quality.
Grammar: Usually followed by of and an uncountable noun: a smidgen of salt.
Patterns
- a smidgen of something
- a smidgen more
Add a smidgen of salt to the sauce.
I felt a smidgen of guilt about leaving early.
Could you move over just a smidgen?
Word forms
| plural | smidgens |
|---|
Common combinations
- a smidgen of
- She added a smidgen of cinnamon.
- just a smidgen
- I only want just a smidgen of cream.
- a smidgen more
- The soup needs a smidgen more pepper.
- a smidgen of doubt
- There was a smidgen of doubt in her voice.
Synonyms and how they differ
- pinch
- A pinch is the amount you can hold between two fingers, so it is used mostly for dry ingredients.
- bit
- A bit is the plain, general word and works in almost any context.
- dash
- A dash is a small quantity added quickly, mostly of liquids or spices.
- trace
- Trace is more formal and suggests a barely detectable amount.
Opposites
Word family
- smidge noun
- a shorter informal form of smidgen
- smidgin noun
- an alternative spelling
Commonly confused: smidgen or smidgen vs. smidge?
smidgen vs smidgen vs. smidge
They mean the same; smidge is just shorter and slightly more casual.
Practice
The recipe says to add 'a smidgen of nutmeg'. About how much is that?
Choose one answer.
A smidgen is a very small amount. A spoonful, half a cup, or a handful would be far too much.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “smidgen”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.
Your sentence stays on this page and is not sent anywhere.