a seemingly minor

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a seemingly minor" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that appears to be unimportant or trivial at first glance, but may have greater significance upon closer examination. Example: "The report highlighted a seemingly minor detail that ultimately changed the outcome of the investigation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Here's where a seemingly minor ad buy becomes alarming.

The Washington Post

That accident was caused by what began as a seemingly minor plumbing glitch.

The New York Times

This is a story about how a seemingly minor incident can spark a gang war and its devastating consequences.

The New York Times

Last week brought a seemingly minor, but highly baffling, reminder of how limited that spirit may be among authors.

The New York Times

But this year, a seemingly minor change to the teams' weekly cover slide had an important impact.

University of California, Berkeley

It was a seemingly minor typo, in a brief posting on an emailing list for Boy Scouts in Northern Virginia.

The Washington Post

He noticed a seemingly minor alteration in one section, the kind of thing most people would skip over.

The New York Times - Magazine

Investors are asking why Mr. Putin would be willing to risk tarnishing that record over a seemingly minor political skirmish.

The New York Times

That was Mr. Bradley's heart palpitations, a seemingly minor problem that could have mushroomed into a larger one.

The New York Times

Even the aunt in "Haven" pays a price for a seemingly minor rebellion against her husband's dictatorship.

The New Yorker

A seemingly minor change to link pyrene to an acyl chain that is two carbons shorter leads to a situation where membrane-spanning dimers are no longer observed.

Chemistry and Physics of Lipids

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "a seemingly minor", follow it with an explanation or elaboration to reveal the hidden importance or impact. This ensures the reader understands the significance of the detail.

Common error

Avoid using "a seemingly minor" without providing context or explaining the ultimate significance. Failing to elaborate leaves the reader wondering why the detail was mentioned in the first place.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a seemingly minor" functions as a pre-modifying adjective phrase, adding descriptive detail to a noun. It highlights an initial perception of insignificance, often setting up a contrast with later revealed importance. Ludwig AI indicates its correct and common usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

78%

Science

12%

Academia

4%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a seemingly minor" is a versatile adjective phrase used to introduce elements that appear insignificant but often prove to be more important than initially perceived. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness and common usage across a variety of contexts, including news, science, and academia. When using this phrase, be sure to provide sufficient context to reveal the hidden significance. Related phrases include "an apparently insignificant" and "a deceptively small". Remember that while it presents a neutral tone, the phrase's main utility lies in the surprise of revealed importance that should be capitalized in writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a seemingly insignificant

Direct synonym swapping 'minor' for 'insignificant'.

a superficially unimportant

Direct synonym swapping 'minor' for 'unimportant'.

an apparently insignificant

Emphasizes the perceived lack of importance at first glance.

a superficially trivial

Highlights the lack of depth or substance in the initial assessment.

a deceptively small

Suggests the actual size or impact is greater than it appears.

a misleadingly unimportant

Focuses on how the perceived unimportance can lead to misjudgment.

a trivial at first glance

More descriptive and conveys the meaning using different sentence structure.

a putatively negligible

Implies the insignificance is assumed or asserted but not necessarily true.

an inconsequential at first sight

Uses less common vocabulary to convey a similar meaning.

an ostensibly trivial

Suggests the triviality is presented as fact but might be questioned.

FAQs

How can I use "a seemingly minor" in a sentence?

Use "a seemingly minor" to introduce an element that appears unimportant but has significant consequences. For instance, "a seemingly minor typo led to a major misunderstanding".

What can I say instead of "a seemingly minor"?

You can use alternatives like "an apparently insignificant", "a superficially trivial", or "a deceptively small depending on the context".

Which is correct, "a seemingly minor" or "an seemingly minor"?

"A seemingly minor" is correct. The word "seemingly" begins with a consonant sound, so it requires the article "a" rather than "an".

What's the difference between "a seemingly minor" and "a truly minor"?

"A seemingly minor" suggests that something appears to be minor, but its actual importance might be greater. "A truly minor" implies that something is genuinely insignificant.