a modest million

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a modest million" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a sum of one million dollars in a way that suggests it is not excessively large or extravagant. Example: "The startup raised a modest million in its initial funding round, which will help them get off the ground."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

He had a modest three assists.

The New York Times - Sports

A modest two bedroom apartment costs around £170,000.

The Guardian - Money

To repeat, the spending plan is a modest one.

The New Yorker

The loss is a modest one for Block.

The Economist

"The victory today was a modest one," E.F.F.

The New York Times

Ms Villiers's proposal spans a modest four pages.

The Economist

Everyone picked winners in a hundred races, at a modest two dollars a bet.

The New Yorker

Hamlet only kills a modest three, and one of them is an accident.

The Times

It has a modest eight gigabytes of RAM, and all kinds of attached storage devices.

MIT Technology Review

They went for a modest forty-five thousapiecellars apince "in the first twenty minutes," Zwirner said.

The New Yorker

Goaltender Mike Dunham finished with 34 saves to run his unbeaten string to a modest three games.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a modest million" when you want to indicate that a million dollars is a significant sum, but not an exorbitant or excessive amount in the given context.

Common error

Avoid using "a modest million" when the context clearly indicates that a million is a substantial and impressive amount. This could create a sense of understatement that misrepresents the true scale.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a modest million" functions as a noun phrase, where "modest" is an adjective modifying the noun "million". It describes the amount of one million, adding a sense of scale or perspective, suggesting it's not excessively large. This aligns with Ludwig AI's assessment of correctness and usability.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a modest million" is a grammatically correct and usable phrase to describe a sum of one million, implying that it is significant but not excessive in the given situation. As Ludwig AI suggests, it serves to provide context and nuance to the amount. The phrase isn't frequently encountered, given the limited examples found. When you need to emphasize the sum of one million without portraying it as an overwhelmingly large number, "a modest million" can be a useful choice. It's key to ensure that the use of "modest" aligns with the context, so the phrase maintains accuracy.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

A million or so

Adds a sense of approximation to the million figure.

Around a million

Similar to 'a million or so', it emphasizes approximation.

Approximately a million

More formal way of saying 'around a million'.

Close to a million

Suggests the amount is nearing a million.

Nearly a million

Implies the amount is just shy of a million.

Just a million

Emphasizes that it is only a million, possibly downplaying the amount.

A mere million

Strongly downplays the amount as being insignificant.

A single million

Highlights the fact that it is one million, and no more.

A cool million

Informal way to say a million, often implying it's a desirable amount.

One million dollars

More explicit and less nuanced way of stating the amount.

FAQs

How can I use "a modest million" in a sentence?

You can use "a modest million" to describe a sum of money that, while substantial, isn't considered excessive in a particular context. For example: "The startup secured "a modest million" in seed funding to begin operations."

What are some alternatives to "a modest million"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "around a million", "nearly a million", or "a million or so" to convey a similar sense of approximation. If the intent is to downplay the sum, you might use "just a million" or "a mere million".

When is it appropriate to describe an amount as "modest"?

It's appropriate when the amount is significant but not exceptionally large compared to other figures in the same domain. For example, "a modest profit" for a large corporation might still be a considerable sum in absolute terms.

What's the difference between "a modest million" and "a cool million"?

"A cool million" is an informal and somewhat playful way to refer to a million dollars, often implying that it's a desirable amount. "A modest million" is more neutral and suggests that the sum is not extravagant in context.