a minimal majority

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a minimal majority" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where a group has just enough votes or support to make a decision, often in a voting context. Example: "The proposal was passed with a minimal majority, indicating that while it was approved, the support was not overwhelming."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

We all want the candidate we voted for, but we also need a leader who can govern and who can get his incumbents reelected to, hopefully, keep a minimal majority that will enable him to put through his legislation.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

In December 2006, Senator Tim Johnson of South Dakota became seriously ill and was absent from the Senate for months, leaving Democrats with a minimal working majority.

The New York Times

(One point to note: other than "launch efforts" associated with the various version of the game, ustwo says it hasn't spent any money or time acquiring users — so a minimal marketing budget — which means the majority of the Whale Trail's user base has been acquired organically).

TechCrunch

This demonstrates that a minimal equilibrium model can reconstitute the majority of the observed interaction patterns.

Epigenetics and Chromatin

The majority of journals have a minimal citation impact.

Plosone

A remarkable fraction of vertebrate introns have a minimal size of about 100 bp, while majority of introns expand to several kilobases even megabases in length.

Plosone

In our study, the majority of participants (59.0%) who had a minimal trauma fracture were prescribed bisphos-phonates.

Bone and Joint Research

The majority of the population that only gets a minimal amount of leave is the same population that struggles to survive on one income, or are single parents.

Huffington Post

The majority of early biochemical and structural studies used a minimal HHRz construct containing truncated helices designed to simplify in vitro studies.

Chemical Reviews

Next, a minimal stringent criterion was used to select miRNA candidates, which ensured that the majority of sequences recovered were known miRNAs.

Plosone

Genes that are not co-regulated (the majority of them) have random distances with other genes thus making a minimal impact in the length of the MV.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a minimal majority", consider the context and whether emphasizing the precariousness or narrowness of the majority is relevant to your message. Choose a synonym if a stronger emphasis is needed.

Common error

Avoid presenting a decision made by "a minimal majority" as a resounding endorsement. Accurately represent the level of support to maintain credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a minimal majority" functions as a noun phrase. It typically acts as a subject or object in a sentence, describing the size or nature of a majority. It is mentioned by Ludwig as correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a minimal majority" is a grammatically correct and usable English phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig. It is used to describe a situation where a group has just enough votes or support to make a decision, particularly in voting contexts. The examples provided by Ludwig and the frequency analysis indicates that it is used in neutral registers across news, scientific, and general informational contexts. While synonyms like "slim majority" or "bare majority" exist, "a minimal majority" offers a specific emphasis on the narrowness of the margin.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slim majority

Focuses on the narrowness of the majority.

bare majority

Emphasizes that the majority is just sufficient, without any extra support.

slight majority

Highlights the small margin of the majority.

razor-thin majority

Emphasizes the extreme precariousness and small size of the majority.

tenuous majority

Implies the majority is weak and easily lost.

marginal majority

Indicates the majority is close to the margin of being a minority.

close majority

Highlights the closeness of the vote or support.

paper-thin majority

Suggests the majority is fragile and easily overturned.

wafer-thin majority

Similar to paper-thin, emphasizing the fragility of the majority.

simple majority

Indicates the lowest threshold for a majority which is more than half of the votes cast.

FAQs

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

You can use "a minimal majority" to describe situations where a proposal or decision barely passes, indicating that the support was just enough to succeed. For example, "The bill passed with "a slim majority", showing there was significant opposition."

What's the difference between "a minimal majority" and "a simple majority"?

"A simple majority" refers to more than half of the votes cast, regardless of how close it is. "A minimal majority" emphasizes that the majority is just barely achieved, implying a very close margin. A simple majority can still be substantial, while "a minimal majority" is always small.

What are some synonyms for "a minimal majority"?

Alternatives include "bare majority", "slight majority", or "razor-thin majority". The best choice depends on the nuance you want to convey about the size and stability of the majority.

Is it better to avoid using "a minimal majority" in formal writing?

No, "a minimal majority" is acceptable in formal writing, as it accurately describes a specific situation. However, ensure that your usage is precise and that the context warrants emphasizing the small margin of victory. If a neutral term is sufficient, consider using "simple majority" instead.