Marginally greater

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Marginally greater" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a small increase or difference in quantity, size, or degree compared to something else. Example: "The new model is marginally greater in efficiency than its predecessor, leading to improved performance."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

He is the one with marginally greater experience and pedigree.

The Guardian - Sport

Consensus expectations for 2018 are only marginally greater today than they were before the election.

The Washington Post

Preeclampsia in female donors may also be marginally greater than in those with 2 kidneys.

Advances in Chronic Kidney Disease

Face up to Cairo: its glories are marginally greater than its vexations.

The Economist

In other words, Fischer's achievement is only marginally greater than Botvinnik's but he is more than seven times as famous.

MIT Technology Review

Compared with the Control group, the Nightmare group had longer N2 sleep latency and a marginally greater %N2 sleep.

Sleep Medicine

Furthermore, the frequency of washes with live tortoises and their sign was marginally greater in closed than open wash zones.

Journal of Environmental Management

So much of the ugliness that transpires in her books could be prevented by a marginally greater degree of psychological caution.

The New York Times - Magazine

The effects in the catalytic hydrodenitrogenation (HDN) of quinoline were noticeable but not marked because the overall HDN reaction is only marginally greater than zero order.

Chemical Engineering Science

Black espresso coffee in people with type 2 diabetes mellitus results in a marginally greater excursion of glucose during a following OGTT compared with water or decaffeinated coffee.

Metabolism

Positive training led to significantly greater increases in positive interpretation bias relative to the negative group, though these increases were only marginally greater than the control group.

Behavior Therapy

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "marginally greater" to convey a subtle distinction, especially in formal writing, when precision is key. For instance, "The new dataset shows a marginally greater correlation than the previous one."

Common error

Avoid using "marginally greater" when the difference is substantial. It's intended for minor discrepancies, not significant improvements or increases. Be sure the context aligns with a small degree of difference.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "marginally greater" functions as an adjectival phrase used to qualify a noun, indicating that it possesses a quality to a slightly higher degree than something else. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is correct and usable in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

64%

News & Media

22%

Academia

14%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "marginally greater" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase to describe a slight increase or difference. Ludwig AI confirms its usability. Predominantly found in scientific, academic, and news media, it serves to provide a precise comparison without exaggerating the magnitude of the difference. When writing, use it to indicate minor discrepancies and avoid it when differences are substantial. For less formal situations, consider alternatives like "slightly larger" or "a bit more".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Slightly larger

Indicates a small difference in size.

Somewhat higher

Suggests a moderate increase in quantity or degree.

A bit more

Informal way of indicating a small increment.

Barely exceeding

Emphasizes that the increase is minimal and almost negligible.

Minimally superior

Implies a very slight advantage or improvement.

Modestly greater

Indicates a restrained or limited increase.

Just a shade bigger

Uses a visual metaphor to convey a small difference.

By a slim margin

Highlights that the difference is narrow and could easily change.

Inappreciably larger

Emphasizes that the increase is so small as to be almost unnoticeable.

Hardly bigger

Indicates the difference is so subtle you might not even notice it.

FAQs

How can I use "marginally greater" in a sentence?

Use "marginally greater" to indicate that something is slightly more than something else. For example, "The updated software performed with "marginally greater" efficiency than the older version".

What phrases are similar to "marginally greater"?

Alternatives to "marginally greater" include "slightly larger", "somewhat higher", or "a bit more". The choice depends on the specific context and desired level of formality.

Is it appropriate to use "marginally greater" in informal contexts?

While "marginally greater" is suitable for formal writing, more casual phrases like "a little bigger" or "slightly more" may be better choices for informal contexts.

What's the difference between "marginally greater" and "significantly greater"?

"Marginally greater" indicates a small difference, whereas "significantly greater" implies a substantial and noteworthy difference. The term you choose should reflect the actual magnitude of the difference being described.