a minute mistake

USAGE SUMMARY

"a minute mistake" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to refer to a small, insignificant mistake. For example: "Despite his best efforts, he couldn't help but make a minute mistake on the report."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Everyone but Romeo, it seems, is on the take, and Mungiu is careful not just to plant evidence of that norm — the Volvo S.U.V., for instance, that the principal drives — but also to insure that we don't, for a minute, mistake Romeo for a paragon of virtue.

The New Yorker

With its giant Starbucks, Cheesecake Factory and Wolfgang Puck restaurant, you might for a minute mistake the new Shanghai Disney Resort for theme parks in Anaheim or Orlando, Fla.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

A catalogue of Widnes handling errors led to their downfall, especially in the first half, with the centre Adam Hughes starting the epidemic with a 12th-minute mistake that led to Dixon's opening try.

The Guardian - Sport

How could anyone ever, for a minute, have mistaken those howlers for Vermeers?

The New Yorker

He earned a reputation for balancing discretion in altering an author's language with a distaste for the most minute mistakes, including punctuation.

The New York Times - Books

Whether he can pull off a similar feat here, where minute mistakes can mean major movement one way or the other, is uncertain.

The New York Times - Sports

Horner admitted that towards the end of the race he had been telling Vettel's race engineer Guillaume 'Rocky' Rocquelin to slow his driver down to ensure there were no last minute mistakes.

BBC

I'm a blue collar worker, and all my life, I have sat down at my Olympia manual typewriter--not even an electric because I type too fast for an electric, two fingers, a hundred and twenty words a minute without making mistakes--and I've batted out over a hundred books and seventeen or eighteen hundred stories, I don't know, twenty-five movies, and maybe two hundred teleplays.

Huffington Post

"It [the League Cup final] had a big impact on the players' minds, the last-minute mistake, but it has happened to us many times this season," said Wenger.

BBC

The wingman looked on course to grab a second a minute later when a mistake by Leroy Cudjoe gave the visitors an attacking scrum just 15 metres from the Huddersfield line.

The Guardian - Sport

And then take a look at it, and say, "Wait a minute, this is a mistake.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a minute mistake", ensure the context clearly indicates that the error is truly small and inconsequential to avoid misrepresenting the situation.

Common error

Avoid using "a minute mistake" to downplay errors that have significant consequences, as this can be perceived as dismissive or dishonest.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a minute mistake" functions as a noun phrase, where "minute" is an adjective modifying the noun "mistake". It is employed to describe an error that is of very little importance or consequence. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a minute mistake" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe a very small and insignificant error. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's suitable for general use, especially in news and media contexts. While not extremely common, its meaning is easily understood. Consider using synonyms like "a trivial error" or "a slight oversight" in more formal settings. Ensure that when you use "a minute mistake", the error genuinely has minimal impact to avoid misrepresentation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a trivial error

Replaces "minute" with "trivial", emphasizing the insignificance of the mistake.

a slight oversight

Substitutes "mistake" with "oversight", suggesting a careless error.

a minor slip-up

Uses "slip-up" instead of "mistake", conveying a casual and unintentional error.

a negligible blunder

Employs "negligible blunder", highlighting the unimportance of the mistake.

a small error

Uses a more common and straightforward way to express that the mistake is small.

an insignificant mistake

Replaces "minute" with "insignificant", emphasizing that the mistake does not matter much.

a petty fault

Substitute "mistake" with "fault", suggesting a flaw or weakness.

a venial error

Venial error, means easily excused or forgiven, suggesting minor and pardonable.

a pardonable slip

A "pardonable slip" suggests that the mistake is easily forgiven or excused.

a forgivable mistake

The term emphasizes that the mistake is easily excused, implying a lack of severe consequences.

FAQs

How can I use "a minute mistake" in a sentence?

You can use "a minute mistake" to describe a very small and unimportant error. For instance, "The project was successful despite "a minute mistake" in the data entry."

What are some synonyms for "a minute mistake"?

Alternatives include "a trivial error", "a slight oversight", or "a minor slip-up". These all convey the idea of a small and insignificant error.

Is it appropriate to use "a minute mistake" in formal writing?

While understandable, "a minute mistake" might sound slightly informal. In formal writing, consider using "a trivial error" or "an insignificant mistake".

What's the difference between "a minute mistake" and "a major blunder"?

"A minute mistake" refers to a small, unimportant error, while "a major blunder" describes a significant and consequential mistake. The choice depends on the severity of the error.