a minimal attempt

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a minimal attempt" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an effort that is very small or insufficient in scope or quality. Example: "His submission was just a minimal attempt to address the complex issue at hand."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Several recruits were not paying attention, one appeared to be sleeping, and there was minimal attempt made to engage the students in the lesson.

Huffington Post

The social worker assigned to that case did not make first contact with the family until 20 days after the complaint was received, and then "made minimal attempts to investigate," according to an internal county report.

Los Angeles Times

"I can find only minimal attempts on the part of the media to discover the extent of the problem outside the Catholic priesthood".

The New York Times

Later, they make only minimal attempts to defend themselves to their interrogators: "You're not going to believe me, so I'm not going to say anything else".

The New Yorker

"Overall, concerns and incidents were seen in isolation, with minimal attempts to link concerning patterns of injuries, to enquire in more detail about their cause and nature, and to gain a collective view of family life," the report said.

BBC

There have been minimal attempts to address this need from the research community; however, an important exception has been Kelley's [ 13] work on building community capacity for palliative care in rural Canadian communities.

BMC Palliative Care

Notably, minimal attempts have been made to determine systematically the degree to which specific areas of coding sequence have become released from negative selective in the long-term, and by inference unlikely to mediate functional change in the short-term.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Moreover, there have previously been minimal attempts to resolve this contradiction (or even to distinguish between statistical and functional redundancy), potentially leading readers to perceive this modelling framework as one prone to capturing invalid biology.

Epigenetics and Chromatin

Despite the availability of genome information for AlHV-1 and those of closely related MCF viruses [ 54, 55], genetic variation and evolution of AlHV-1 in wild and domestic hosts is poorly understood, as minimal attempts have been made to investigate viral diversity in clinical cases or in field isolates.

Archives of Virology

In order to define the chain of events in the construction of a minimal system, we attempted controlled assembly of the capsid protein of a small insect nodavirus, Flock House Virus (FHV).

Virology

Overcoming this limitation will require to change Ptet with a minimal one, something attempted successfully in mammalian cells with a promoter from hCMV.

BMC Systems Biology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a minimal attempt", ensure the context clearly conveys the insufficient nature of the effort. This phrase is effective for highlighting a lack of commitment or resources in a specific situation.

Common error

Avoid using "a minimal attempt" when the effort was actually substantial. This phrase is best reserved for situations where the attempt truly falls short of what was needed or expected.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a minimal attempt" functions as a noun phrase, where "minimal" is an adjective modifying the noun "attempt". It describes the quality of the attempt, emphasizing its smallness or insufficiency.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Science

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a minimal attempt" describes an action or effort that is small, insufficient, or lacking in commitment. It's a noun phrase with a negative connotation, used to criticize or downplay effort. Ludwig AI deems it grammatically correct, although its frequency is currently missing. Related phrases include "a slight effort" and "a token effort". Use it to highlight inadequate efforts but avoid overstating the significance. The register is neutral, fitting various contexts, but ensure the context supports the critical implication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a slight effort

Focuses on the small amount of effort exerted.

a token effort

Emphasizes that the attempt was made more for appearance than genuine intent.

a half-hearted try

Highlights the lack of enthusiasm or commitment in the attempt.

a perfunctory attempt

Suggests the attempt was carried out as a mere formality, lacking real care.

a negligible effort

Indicates the effort was so small as to be almost insignificant.

a superficial try

Highlights that the attempt was not deep or thorough.

a basic attempt

Suggests that the attempt was simple and without much effort.

a preliminary attempt

Focuses on the attempt being an initial step, not necessarily comprehensive.

a small-scale effort

Indicates the attempt was limited in scope or resources.

a feable effort

Highlights the weakness or ineffectiveness of the attempt.

FAQs

How can I use "a minimal attempt" in a sentence?

You can use "a minimal attempt" to describe an action or effort that is very small or insufficient. For example: "His submission was just a minimal attempt to address the complex issue at hand."

What are some alternatives to "a minimal attempt"?

You can use alternatives like "a slight effort", "a token effort", or "a half-hearted try" depending on the context.

What does "a minimal attempt" imply about the actor?

It typically implies a lack of dedication, resources, or seriousness in addressing a task or situation. It suggests that the actor did the bare minimum, possibly without genuine intent for success.

Is "a minimal attempt" always negative?

Yes, the phrase usually carries a negative connotation, highlighting the inadequacy of the effort. However, the degree of negativity depends on the context; it can range from mild disappointment to strong criticism.