small fortune
noun
: a surprisingly or unexpectedly large amount of money
They spent a small fortune on redecorating their house.
Examples of small fortune in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Lennon and Ono had already spent a small fortune waging legal battles and trailing them across multiple continents for the better part of a year.
—
Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 1 Feb. 2025
The melee that followed would wind through two courts, drag on for eight years and cost the building a small fortune in legal fees.
—David Segal, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
Luckily, replacing them doesn’t have to cost a small fortune thanks to Walmart’s deals starting at $6.
—Shea Simmons, People.com, 16 Jan. 2025
Given the lack of an ideological core, each trend likely stems from everyday experiences – specifically, a world in which affordable health care can feel like a luxury, even as a select few are able to spend a small fortune on a handbag.
—Aarushi Bhandari, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for small fortune
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Jordan Runtagh, People.com, 1 Feb. 2025
The melee that followed would wind through two courts, drag on for eight years and cost the building a small fortune in legal fees.
—David Segal, New York Times, 16 Feb. 2025
Luckily, replacing them doesn’t have to cost a small fortune thanks to Walmart’s deals starting at $6.
—Shea Simmons, People.com, 16 Jan. 2025
Given the lack of an ideological core, each trend likely stems from everyday experiences – specifically, a world in which affordable health care can feel like a luxury, even as a select few are able to spend a small fortune on a handbag.
—Aarushi Bhandari, The Conversation, 9 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for small fortune
Cite this Entry
“Small fortune.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/small%20fortune. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share