a minimal loss

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a minimal loss" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you want to describe a situation where the loss incurred is small or insignificant. Example: "After the market fluctuations, we were relieved to report a minimal loss in our quarterly earnings."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

55 human-written examples

Compared with past American military operations of this magnitude, the war in Iraq has been a stunning success, with a minimal loss of life.

The New York Times

The 18-foot-tall air lock also will let astronauts using either American or Russian spacesuits enter and leave with a minimal loss of the station's air.

The New York Times - Science

In fact, that's the sort of thing a team does when they're trying to force a player out with a minimal loss of face for everyone involved – there is, after all, the important distinction that Rodriguez is going to be released before he retires, meaning he will collect the $21m he is due from the Yankees next year.

The Guardian - Sport

The design allows the peptide backbone to change direction with a minimal loss of main chain hydrogen bonds.

Journal of Molecular Biology

The complexity reduction is obtained via the introduction of approximate computing, which lightens the computational load of the algorithm with a minimal loss in precision.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

The addition of an include list dictionary trained from the training/development corpus provided a significant increase in recall (Figure 4) with only a minimal loss of precision.

Journal of Cheminformatics

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

Weary of the games of imperial politics, he relies instead on wit, a hard-won knowledge of human nature and simple common sense in trying to settle the fate of a mischievous queen (Nikki M. James, lovely and amusingly petulant but lacking sparkle), a country and a people with minimal loss of blood and self-respect.

The New York Times

The strengths of our study include the use of population-based, nationwide cohorts with inclusion of all adults receiving RRT (transplant recipients, and patients receiving hemodialysis or peritoneal dialysis) in an entire country, minimal loss to follow-up, and the availability of comprehensive hospitalization data and microbiological data on each SAB case.

BMC Infectious Diseases

They are traditional in short-summer climates because, like potatoes and winter squash, they can be stored a long time with minimal loss of quality.

The New York Times

Interestingly, the ASPUs exhibit a small hysteresis loop, minimal loss of tensile strength and minimal creep deformation after 100 repetitive cycles which makes them of use for engineering of load-bearing tissues.

Biomaterials

Radar chart arrays were designed so that hundreds of microflow digital imaging (MFI) solution measurements, evaluating different mAb formulations under varying stresses, could be presented in a single figure with minimal loss of data resolution.

Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a minimal loss", ensure the context clearly establishes what is being lost and why the small magnitude of the loss is significant or noteworthy. For instance, "The new compression algorithm results in "a minimal loss" of image quality, making it ideal for mobile devices."

Common error

Avoid using "a minimal loss" when the loss is actually substantial or has significant consequences. Misrepresenting the extent of the loss can undermine credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a minimal loss" functions as a noun phrase that modifies another noun, often quantifying the degree of reduction or deficiency. Ludwig provides numerous examples across varied contexts illustrating this function.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

64%

News & Media

22%

Formal & Business

3%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a minimal loss" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression, as confirmed by Ludwig, indicating a small or insignificant reduction. It's commonly employed in scientific, news, and formal contexts. When using this phrase, ensure that the context clearly defines what is being lost and why its small magnitude is significant. Be cautious not to overstate the significance of the loss if it's actually substantial. Alternatives such as "a slight decrease" or "a negligible reduction" can be used depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

A negligible reduction

Substitutes "minimal" with "negligible", highlighting the insignificance of the reduction.

An insignificant decline

Combines "insignificant" with "decline" to express a lack of importance in the reduction.

A slight decrease

Replaces "loss" with "decrease", focusing on the reduction aspect.

A fractional decrease

Replaces "minimal" with "fractional", emphasizing a tiny or minute decrease.

A marginal decline

Uses "marginal" instead of "minimal", emphasizing a small and barely noticeable decline.

A modest reduction

Replaces "minimal" with "modest", indicating a moderate or restrained decrease.

A trivial reduction

Replaces "minimal" with "trivial", suggesting the loss is of little importance.

A small deficit

Replaces "loss" with "deficit", implying a slight shortage or deficiency.

A minor setback

Uses "setback" instead of "loss", framing it as a temporary impediment.

A limited impact

Shifts the focus to the limited effect or consequence of the loss.

FAQs

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

You can use "a minimal loss" to describe a situation where something is reduced or diminished, but only by a small amount. For example: "The new process resulted in "a minimal loss" of efficiency".

What are some alternatives to saying "a minimal loss"?

You can use alternatives like "a slight decrease", "a negligible reduction", or "a marginal decline", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "a minimal loss"?

Yes, "a minimal loss" is grammatically correct and commonly used to indicate that something has been reduced by a small or insignificant amount. Ludwig AI confirms this with numerous examples from reliable sources.

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

"A minimal loss" indicates a small and relatively unimportant reduction, while "a significant loss" suggests a larger and more impactful reduction. The choice depends on the magnitude and importance of the reduction you are describing.