a narrow amount of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a narrow amount of" is not commonly used in written English and may sound awkward.
It can be used when referring to a limited quantity or degree of something, but it is better to use more standard expressions. Example: "There was a narrow amount of time left to complete the project."

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The latter will not get your hired, except if you have a narrow amount of experience that fits perfectly in a particular technology segment.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Mr. Mukasey was approved in November on a Senate vote of 53 to 40, the narrowest amount of support for any attorney general in more than half a century.

The New York Times

However, in a narrow fracture, the amount of fluid is restricted and the relative volume of fluid is the same order of magnitude as volumetric particle content in the slurry.

Journal of Petroleum Exploration and Production Technology

Because the airway of a child is narrow, a small amount of glottic or tracheal swelling can produce critical obstruction.

Wikipedia

In these studies, which often follow a rigorous structure — introduction, methodology, results, conclusion — "you narrow the amount of interpretability in what you're saying," Charlene Breedlove, the poetry editor at JAMA, told me.

The New Yorker

We took into account that this strategy would considerably narrow the amount of studies to be included.

BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders

The lower breast and belly are white, with a variable amount of narrow brown or rufous barring.

Cornell University

After heat treatment at 680 °C for 4 h, the α′ martensite was converted to a mixture of α and β, in which the α phase being the dominant fraction is present as fine laths with the width of 500 800 nm and separated by a small amount of narrow, interphase regions of dark β phase.

Journal of the Mechanical Behavior of Biomedical Materials

The hysteresis loop is narrow, indicating a limited amount of inelastic deformation associated with this strain amplitude.

Mechanics of Advanced Materials and Modern Processes

There should be a small amount of narrow end left at this point.

WikiHow

With narrow artificial intelligence, you have one narrow domain with a tremendous amount of data, and you can make a system that beats people, whether it is with face or speech recognition, targeted ads, or e-commerce optimization trying to maximize revenue.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When aiming for clarity and conciseness, consider using alternatives like "small amount of" or "limited quantity of" instead of "a narrow amount of". These alternatives are more common and easily understood.

Common error

Avoid using "a narrow amount of" excessively in your writing. While grammatically correct, its infrequent usage may make your writing sound unnatural or stilted. Opt for more conventional expressions to improve readability.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a narrow amount of" functions as a determiner phrase modifying a noun. Ludwig AI suggests it refers to a limited quantity, although it's less common than alternatives.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

32%

Science

59%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "a narrow amount of" is grammatically acceptable for expressing a limited quantity or degree, but Ludwig AI points out it's not very common. While sources like The New York Times and Forbes do use it, alternatives like "small amount of" or "limited quantity of" are generally preferred for greater clarity and naturalness. Ludwig examples illustrate its application across various contexts, including experience, support, and debt. While not incorrect, be mindful of its infrequent use and consider more conventional phrasing for improved readability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a limited quantity of

Replaces "amount" with "quantity" and uses "limited" which is a direct synonym of "narrow" in this context.

a small measure of

Substitutes "amount" with "measure", suggesting a precise but small quantity.

a restricted degree of

Uses "degree" instead of "amount" to imply a limit on intensity or extent.

a finite quantity of

Emphasizes that the amount is limited and countable.

a scarce quantity of

Indicates that the amount is not only limited but also difficult to obtain.

a minimal degree of

Suggests the least possible amount or extent.

a negligible quantity of

Implies that the amount is so small it's almost unimportant.

a reduced quantity of

Focuses on the fact that the amount has been decreased or lessened.

a concise measure of

Suggests that the measure is both small and precisely defined.

a curtailed degree of

Implies the degree has been shortened or cut back.

FAQs

What does "a narrow amount of" mean?

The phrase "a narrow amount of" refers to a small or limited quantity of something, suggesting a restricted or scarce supply. While grammatically correct, it's not as commonly used as alternatives like "a small amount of" or "a limited amount of".

Which is more common, "a narrow amount of" or "a small amount of"?

"A small amount of" is far more common than "a narrow amount of". The latter is considered less conventional and might sound awkward to some readers. Using "a small amount of" is generally preferred for better clarity.

Are there situations where "a narrow amount of" is the best choice?

While "a narrow amount of" isn't inherently incorrect, it rarely offers an advantage over more common alternatives. You might choose it if you specifically want to emphasize the limited scope or restrictiveness, but "a limited amount of" often conveys this meaning more effectively.

What are some other ways to express the idea of "a narrow amount of"?

Besides "a small amount of" and "a limited amount of", you could use phrases like "a scarce quantity of", "a restricted degree of", or "a minimal amount of" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.