Marginally sufficient

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Marginally sufficient" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that meets a minimum standard or requirement, but only just barely. Example: "The results of the experiment were marginally sufficient to support the hypothesis, but further testing is needed."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

This 37-s resolution is expected to be marginally sufficient for resolving the two stages of the substorm onset sequence, which are presumably separated by a few minutes.

Earth, Planets and Space

When ESAs are administered to patients deficient or marginally sufficient in iron, the demands for iron for Hb production are likely to further deplete iron available for other essential metabolic processes The rise in plasma TNF-α and decrease in IL-4 levels may also be important as noted above.

BMC Nephrology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Studies on cytokines in chronic HD patients point to another possible mechanism for adverse effects on morbidity and mortality of EPO administration in iron deficient or marginally iron sufficient patients.

BMC Nephrology

Risk accuracy was assessed by comparing perceived risks with clinician assessments within three broad categories: population risk or marginally increased, sufficient for screening (moderate risk) or family history indicative of possible autosomal dominant mutation (high risk).

British Journal of Cancer

But accusations about the shortcomings of the Iraqi forces resonated a day after a report of a secret memo from a senior American military official, Col. Timothy R. Reese, saying that they were able to defend the Iraqi government but calling them "marginally self-sufficient," lazy and unwilling to change.

The New York Times

Importantly, in some α cells, expression of mutant KATP-channels is low and total KATP-channel activity only marginally increased, just sufficient to suppress electrical activity at 1 mM glucose.

Cell Metabolism

Initially, EDF performs marginally better when there is sufficient bandwidth.

Human-centric Computing and Information Sciences

The sufficient resources rating was marginally related to job satisfaction (Pearson's r = 0.09, P = 0.09).

Human Resources for Health

It is shown that the linear and nonlinear deformation behavior of a single flexure hinge deviate marginally so that linear modeling approaches are sufficient.

Precision Engineering

Zambia does not have a sufficient number of doctors, nor marginally, skilled birth attendants, under the narrow definition.

Human Resources for Health

Using a series of graphical rules to assess whether two variables are marginally (in dependent, a set of adjustment variables sufficient to control for confounding by measured covariates can be identified.

BMC Public Health

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "marginally sufficient", ensure the context clearly indicates that the level of sufficiency is minimal and potentially problematic. Consider if a stronger term might be more appropriate to convey the true extent of adequacy.

Common error

Avoid using "marginally sufficient" when the context requires a higher degree of adequacy. This phrase implies a barely adequate level, which might not be suitable if a more robust or reliable solution is needed.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "marginally sufficient" functions as a descriptive term, modifying a noun to indicate that something meets a minimum requirement, but only by a small margin. Ludwig AI examples show this in contexts like resolving stages of a substorm or describing iron levels in patients.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "marginally sufficient" is used to describe a situation where something barely meets the minimum requirements, as verified by Ludwig AI. While grammatically correct, its usage is infrequent and primarily found in scientific and news contexts. The phrase implies a potential for inadequacy and is best used when conveying a minimal level of acceptance. Related phrases like "barely adequate" or "just enough" offer similar meanings. When writing, ensure the context supports the implication of minimal sufficiency and consider whether a stronger term would be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely adequate

Emphasizes the minimal level of adequacy.

just enough

Highlights the sufficiency is at its lowest possible level.

scarcely adequate

Stresses the inadequacy and the limited sufficiency.

minimally acceptable

Indicates the lowest level of acceptance.

hardly sufficient

Underscores that something is at the edge of sufficiency.

only just adequate

Adds emphasis to the bare minimum.

borderline sufficient

Suggests a state near the limit of sufficiency.

almost adequate

Highlights the near achievement of adequacy.

nearly sufficient

Indicates a close proximity to sufficiency.

technically sufficient

Suggests a formal or legalistic context of sufficiency.

FAQs

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

Use "marginally sufficient" to describe something that meets the minimum requirements, but only just. For example, "The budget was "marginally sufficient" to cover the basic expenses."

What are some alternatives to "marginally sufficient"?

Alternatives include "barely adequate", "just enough", or "scarcely adequate", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "marginally sufficient" a formal or informal expression?

"Marginally sufficient" tends to be more formal and is often used in technical or professional contexts. More informal alternatives might include "just getting by" or "cutting it close".

What does "marginally sufficient" imply about the quality or reliability of something?

It implies that the quality or reliability is at the lower end of acceptability. It suggests that there may be potential issues or risks associated with relying on something that is only "marginally sufficient".