a decidedly small

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a decidedly small" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to emphasize the smallness of something in a clear and definitive manner. Example: "The project had a decidedly small budget, which limited our options significantly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

He's right, but this, in political terms, is a decidedly small ask.

The New Yorker

In this down-turned market, as more houses stay unsold for longer and longer, a decidedly small niche has emerged in residential real estate marketing: accentuating the negative.

The New York Times

With the Ukraine defence expecting Ibz Diallo to float a free-kick from the touchline into the middle, they were left staring at each other in disbelief as he whipped a perfectly placed left-footed curler past the outstretched fingertips of Igor Kosenko and into the top corner of what, don't forget, is a decidedly small goal.

The Guardian - Sport

Berners-Lee's site went live in 1991, and was accessed by a decidedly small audience of fellow CERN researchers.

Huffington Post

1. Money: Rentboy, though a decidedly small fish when it comes to making money in the sex field, was perhaps a large enough fish to fry that it was a juicy target for the NYPD.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

The anguish was acute throughout Staten Island, a borough not really that far from Manhattan yet marked by a decidedly small-town feel.

The New York Times

Young voters did make up a decidedly smaller portion of the electorate this year: 11 percent, down from 18 percent in 2008, when many turned out for the presidential election.

The New York Times

And the foreign capital that African countries have relied on so much for their development will be in shorter supply; in the West, investors will have a decidedly smaller appetite for risk.

The Economist

Discussions about a sale of Lucent to Alcatel grew out of talks about a decidedly smaller deal: the sale of Lucent's fiber optic cable business, which it hopes to sell for more than $5 billion to help reduce its debt.

The New York Times

For five months last year, the committee on foreign investment scrutinized a decidedly smaller deal, one in which Nippon Telegraph and Telephone sought to acquire Verio Inc., a Colorado company that operates Web sites for businesses and provides Internet service, for $5.5 billion.

The New York Times

But another "big thing" in a decidedly smaller package is making its way to center stage as we speak.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a decidedly small" to add emphasis to the smallness of something, suggesting it's undeniably or noticeably small. This phrase is suitable when you want to highlight the limited scale or size in a clear and definitive manner.

Common error

Avoid using "a decidedly small" in very casual conversations. While grammatically correct, the phrase has a formal tone that might sound out of place in informal settings. Opt for simpler alternatives like "very small" or "really small" for everyday communication.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a decidedly small" functions as an intensifier (decidedly) modifying an adjective (small). It emphasizes the degree of smallness, indicating that something is not just small, but unambiguously or noticeably so. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a decidedly small" is a grammatically correct phrase used to emphasize the smallness of something. Ludwig AI examples show its use in various News & Media contexts. While not exceedingly common, it adds a degree of formality and emphasis, making it suitable for formal writing when you want to draw particular attention to the limited size or scale of something. Consider also these alternatives "unquestionably small" or "distinctly small".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

unquestionably small

Similar emphasis on smallness, using a different adverb for added certainty.

indisputably small

Replaces "decidedly" with "indisputably", suggesting no room for disagreement about the size.

unmistakably small

Emphasizes the clear and obvious nature of the small size.

patently small

Uses "patently" to mean obviously and undeniably small.

clearly small

A more straightforward and less emphatic way to express the small size.

noticeably small

Focuses on the fact that the smallness is easily observed.

remarkably small

Highlights the surprising or noteworthy aspect of the small size.

distinctly small

Uses "distinctly" to indicate a clear and definite smallness.

unusually small

Indicates the small size is atypical or deviates from the norm.

comparatively small

Suggests the small size is in relation to something else.

FAQs

How can I use "a decidedly small" in a sentence?

You can use "a decidedly small" to emphasize the limited size or scale of something, as in "The project had "a decidedly small" budget" or "The portion size was "a decidedly small" one".

What are some alternatives to "a decidedly small"?

Alternatives include "unquestionably small", "distinctly small", or "noticeably small", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "a decidedly small" suitable for formal writing?

Yes, "a decidedly small" is well-suited for formal writing due to its precise and emphatic nature. It adds a level of sophistication while clearly conveying the idea of something being small.

What is the difference between "a decidedly small" and "a very small"?

"A decidedly small" carries a stronger emphasis than "a very small". While both indicate smallness, "a decidedly small" suggests that the smallness is undeniable or particularly noteworthy. You can also use extremely small