a minimal difference

USAGE SUMMARY

"a minimal difference" is a grammatically correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It is typically used to describe a small or insignificant difference between two things. Example: There was only a minimal difference between the two candidates' stances on immigration policy.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

There was only a minimal difference in the average ACT scores of men and women.

The New York Times

The surgery has had an impact on his swing, but Ventura said it was a minimal difference and requires simple adjustments.

The New York Times - Sports

Sometimes the division between right and left is just a minimal difference of angle and level, as if the view had suddenly been changed by a geological rift.

The New York Times

Indeed the crowd for what was the biggest match of the English league season matched that of the World Cup final in Rome two months later (there was a minimal difference of less than a thousand between the two).

The Guardian - Sport

Business groups cite studies conducted for auto manufacturers, as well as an opinion from the Environmental Protection Agency that says there is a minimal difference between the California plan and the one put forward by the environmental agency.

The New York Times

The sample size was determined to allow for 20% attrition and noncompliance and to provide 85% power and 95% confidence interval to detect a minimal difference of 0.5 μmol/l in MDA between two diet interventions.

Nature

At a frequency of 20 kHz and a sound intensity of 30.8 W cm−2, a minimal difference was observed between rate constants during sonication of a mixture and rate constants during sonication of individual compounds.

Advances in Environmental Research

With the aid of the weighting matrix function, the design objective is to find an optimal RFDF, which results in a minimal difference between the reference model and the RFDF to be designed.

Applied Mathematical Modelling

With the aid of the selected weighting matrix function, the design objective is to find an optimal RFDF which results in a minimal difference between the reference model (ideal solution) and the RFDF (real solution) to be designed.

Fuzzy Sets and Systems

Hospital corporation documents said that the Epic contract would cost $303 million and that the Allscripts proposal would cost $299 million, which the documents characterized as a minimal difference.

The New York Times

The chapter carries out an analysis in terms of the classification method, which shows that there is a minimal difference between the fatigue design S-N curve obtained by using N4 instead of N3, when the inherent scatter in fatigue data is taken into account.

Advances in Steel Structures (ICASS '02) Proceedings of the Third International Conference on Advances in Steel Structures 9–11 December 2002, Hong Kong, China

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing options, use "a minimal difference" to clearly indicate that the distinction is so small it is unlikely to influence a decision.

Common error

Avoid exaggerating the importance of "a minimal difference". Ensure your writing reflects that the variation is genuinely insignificant and doesn't mislead readers into thinking otherwise.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a minimal difference" functions as an adjective phrase modifying the noun "difference". It serves to qualify the extent or degree of the difference being discussed, indicating that it is small or insignificant. Ludwig examples illustrate its descriptive role in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

34%

Formal & Business

24%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a minimal difference" is a grammatically sound and frequently employed expression used to describe a slight or insignificant distinction between two or more items. According to Ludwig AI, its versatility allows usage across various registers, including scientific, news, and formal business contexts. When employing this phrase, ensure it accurately reflects that the variation is indeed negligible to avoid misleading readers. Alternatives such as "a slight distinction" or "a negligible difference" can be used to add variety to your writing. Remember, the key is to ensure that you use it appropriately to convey that the difference is genuinely minimal.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a negligible distinction

Substitutes 'minimal' with 'negligible' highlighting the insignificance of the distinction.

a subtle distinction

Emphasizes the subtlety of the difference by using 'subtle'.

a slight distinction

Replaces 'difference' with 'distinction' emphasizing a subtle variation.

a small discrepancy

Replaces 'difference' with 'discrepancy', emphasizing a slight inconsistency.

a marginal variation

Replaces 'difference' with 'variation' and 'minimal' with 'marginal' indicating a small degree of change.

an insignificant gap

Employs 'insignificant' to express the lack of importance of the 'gap'.

a faint difference

Uses 'faint' to describe a barely perceptible difference.

a trivial disparity

Uses 'trivial' to underscore the unimportance of the 'disparity'.

a minor divergence

Substitutes 'difference' with 'divergence' indicating a slight deviation.

a reduced difference

Highlights a reduced quality/size of difference.

FAQs

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

You can use "a minimal difference" to indicate that there is very little distinction between two or more things. For example, "There was "a minimal difference" in test scores between the two groups".

What's the difference between "a minimal difference" and "a significant difference"?

"A minimal difference" indicates a small, unimportant distinction, whereas "a significant difference" suggests a notable and important distinction.

Are there alternatives to using the phrase "a minimal difference"?

Yes, you can use phrases like "a slight distinction", "a negligible difference", or "a marginal variation" depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "a minimal difference" in formal writing?

Yes, "a minimal difference" is appropriate for formal writing. Ludwig AI examples indicate its usage in scientific, news, and business contexts.