a distant secondary

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a distant secondary" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is not the primary focus or importance, but still holds some relevance or significance, albeit at a lesser degree. Example: "While the main goal of the project is to increase sales, improving customer satisfaction is a distant secondary objective."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Now, suddenly, drug trafficking is a distant, secondary priority.

The New York Times

Watching them, I see that winning is a distant secondary goal for them.

The Guardian - Opinion

The orchestras said that a decline in high school subscriptions, attributed to cost-cutting, was a factor in the drop, and that the decision last year to close a budget gap by raising ticket prices for both orchestras was a "distant secondary reason" for decisions not to renew subscriptions.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

How it is used (in this instance on album and CD packaging and within the digital realm) is a very distant secondary consideration.

Vice

Presence of metastatic breast cancer was ascertained on the basis of two or more healthcare encounters with a diagnosis of breast cancer (ICD-9-CM 174.x), plus two or more encounters with a diagnosis of distant secondary malignant neoplasm (196.2, 196.5, 196.8, 197.X-199.0), between January 1, 2000 and December 31 , 2006[ 16, 17].

BMC Cancer

Second, from among these patients, we identified all those who also had two or more encounters with a diagnosis of distant secondary malignant neoplasm (ICD-9-CM 196.2, 196.5, 196.8, 197.1-199.0) during this period; this subgroup of patients was designated as having "metastatic lung cancer".

BMC Health Services Research

Similar to other cancers, the invasion-metastasis cascade of breast cancer consists of multiple steps, including local invasion, entry into the circulation, arrival at distant secondary sites, extravasation and colonization in distant organs (Chaffer and Weinberg, 2011; Wan et al., 2013; Wang and Ouyang, 2012).

Protein & Cell

Among other roles, MMPs degrade the ECM and, therefore, prepare the path for tumor cells to migrate, invade and spread to distant secondary areas, where they form metastasis. Tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases or TIMPs control MMP activities and, therefore, minimize matrix degradation.

Seminars in Cancer Biology

By 1994 most californium-252 was used in neutron radiography (77.4%), with fuel rod scanning (12.1%) and reactor start-up (6.9%) as important but distant secondary uses.

Wikipedia

On the other hand, 15% of the patients died due to distant secondary metastases.

BMC Cancer

51 Intratumoral treatment of primary tumors induced anticancer CD8+ T cell activity that caused regression of distant secondary tumors.

Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a distant secondary" when you want to clearly communicate that something is not the primary focus, but still retains some relevance. Avoid overusing it in contexts where the secondary aspect is completely negligible.

Common error

Avoid using "a distant secondary" to describe two completely unrelated issues where 'distant' refers to physical separation, and 'secondary' to a chronological sequence. The phrase is meant to describe relative importance, not spatial or temporal relationships.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a distant secondary" functions as a compound adjective modifying a noun. It indicates that the noun being modified is of secondary importance and is not immediately relevant or connected to the primary focus. This is consistent with the Ludwig AI's assessment of its usability.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a distant secondary" is a grammatically correct and usable expression in English. It denotes something that is of secondary importance and somewhat removed from the primary focus. While relatively rare, its use is appropriate across different contexts, particularly in news and media, and scientific writing. Ludwig AI confirms its validity, and careful attention to context will ensure accurate and effective communication. Related terms such as "a minor secondary" or "a lesser priority" can be used as alternatives depending on the specific nuance intended.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a minor secondary

Replaces "distant" with "minor", indicating a lesser degree of importance.

a remote secondary

Substitutes "distant" with "remote", suggesting a lack of immediate connection or relevance.

a less important secondary

Rephrases to directly state reduced importance.

a subordinate secondary

Uses "subordinate" to imply a lower rank or priority.

a tangential secondary

Indicates that something is only slightly related or relevant.

a peripheral secondary

Suggests something is on the edge or not central.

a non-essential secondary

Directly implies that something is not necessary or crucial.

a secondary of lesser consequence

Emphasizes reduced significance or impact.

a subsequently less critical

Highlights a lower level of criticality.

a deferred secondary

Suggests postponement and thus reduced current importance.

FAQs

How can I use "a distant secondary" in a sentence?

You can use "a distant secondary" to describe something that is of lesser importance compared to the main focus. For instance: "While the primary goal is profitability, environmental sustainability is a distant secondary concern."

What are some alternatives to "a distant secondary"?

Some alternatives include "a minor consideration", "a lesser priority", or "a subordinate detail". Consider using "a minor secondary" if you want to emphasize the reduced importance.

Is it correct to say something is "a distant primary" concern?

No, that would be contradictory. If something is primary, it cannot be distant. The term "distant" implies a degree of separation or lesser importance, which is the opposite of primary.

How does "a distant secondary" compare to "a tertiary" concern?

While both describe aspects of lower importance, "a distant secondary" suggests a greater separation from the main focus. "Tertiary" simply indicates a third level of importance, without necessarily implying distance or disconnection.