a marginal effort

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a marginal effort" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an effort that is minimal or not significant in impact or outcome. Example: "The team's contribution to the project was a marginal effort, failing to meet the expectations set by management."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

We're looking at a marginal effort, versus monumental ones by others".

The New York Times

It was a marginal effort compared with the band's previous one, "Loose Screw" (2002), a strong collection that should have made Hynde something — more famous, more respected.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

54 human-written examples

With little marginal effort and just those three sources all free and public we matched 1,356 (27.1%) of the numbers.

TechCrunch

She further shows that the effect of bonus taxes on the variable pay of the agent depends on the relationship between the agent's risk aversion, firm value variance, and the slope of the marginal effort cost function.

Business Research

We've developed many kinds of biases to help us navigate the world with marginal effort.

Huffington Post

Higher quintiles of monthly consumption per capita captured poor households that might need to exert greater marginal effort and percentage of household wealth than rich households to obtain similar daily resources [15].

Plosone

Longstanding though distinctly marginal efforts to challenge this accounting convention are now gaining traction.

The New York Times

While Obama's longtime plan has been to transfer out as many detained men as his administration considers a marginal danger, an effort to energize that plan by transferring 17 men by late January hit a snag when one of them, the Yemeni Mohammed Bawazir, abruptly refused to be resettled.

The Guardian

Over the years, I've seen pro-Israel groups claim credit for defeating politicians when they, in fact, had no more than a marginal role in the effort.

Huffington Post

The effort was a marginal success, wringing £40.69 $57.955) a month from the average subscriber in the fourth quarter of 2001, compared with £39.50 $56.255) in the third.

The New York Times

The Bayer Leverkusen forward Kevin Volland saw a second-half effort disallowed for a marginal offside call, before with eight minutes left, the Italy forward Andrea Belotti watched a shot come back off the inside of the post.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a marginal effort" when you want to downplay the significance or impact of an action or undertaking.

Common error

Avoid using "a marginal effort" to describe something requiring substantial resources or dedication; it's best suited for truly minor or insignificant attempts.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a marginal effort" functions as a noun phrase, where "marginal" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "effort". It typically describes the scale or impact of an action, as seen in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

17%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a marginal effort" is a noun phrase used to describe an action that is small in scale or impact. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and suitable for neutral contexts, though often carrying a slightly negative connotation, implying inadequacy. Alternatives such as "a minor undertaking" or "a token attempt" can be used depending on the desired nuance. When using "a marginal effort", ensure the context aligns with the concept of a truly minor or insignificant action to avoid misrepresentation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a minor undertaking

Focuses on the scale of the task rather than the effort expended.

a token attempt

Emphasizes the insincerity or inadequacy of the effort.

a slight endeavor

Highlights the small size or scope of the activity.

a negligible attempt

Stresses the insignificance of the attempt's impact.

a minimal contribution

Highlights the lack of significant contribution.

a small-scale intervention

Emphasizes the limited scope of the action.

a limited exertion

Highlights the minimal expenditure of energy.

a half-hearted attempt

Suggests a lack of enthusiasm or commitment.

a superficial measure

Implies a lack of depth or thoroughness.

a cosmetic fix

Suggests an attempt to improve only the appearance.

FAQs

How can I use "a marginal effort" in a sentence?

You can use "a marginal effort" to describe an action or attempt that is small, insignificant, or has little impact. For example, "Their contribution to the project was "a marginal effort" and did not significantly improve the outcome."

What's the difference between "a marginal effort" and "a significant effort"?

"A marginal effort" describes a small, almost negligible attempt, while "a significant effort" describes a large, substantial attempt that is likely to have a noticeable impact.

What can I say instead of "a marginal effort"?

You can use alternatives like "a minor undertaking", "a token attempt", or "a slight endeavor" depending on the context.

Is "a marginal effort" always used in a negative way?

Usually, "a marginal effort" carries a slightly negative connotation, implying that the effort was inadequate or insufficient. However, it can be used neutrally to simply describe the scale of the effort without necessarily criticizing it.