a small disagreement

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a small disagreement" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a minor conflict or difference of opinion between individuals or groups. Example: "During the meeting, there was a small disagreement about the project's timeline, but we were able to resolve it quickly."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

We have a small disagreement about this: I say that often it's sparkiness and extroversion that gets you noticed in jobs, rather than silent diligence.

The Guardian

Compounding Stournaras's problems, observers said, is the fact that the Samaras-led coalition, with an advantage of just five seats in Parliament, could be sunk by even a small disagreement.

The New Yorker

Midmorning, with the gongs of the supposedly soothing spa music crashing in the background, Dan and I retreated to a couch with a template for having a skilled conversation about a "small disagreement".

The New York Times - Magazine

Some friendships ended with no warning while other ended over a small disagreement.

Huffington Post

A small disagreement over an idea can create a large relationship gap between two or more people.

HuffPost

Back in 2007, before Remy Ma started a six-year prison term, before Nicki Minaj became hip-hop's preeminent female rapper, the two had a small disagreement.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

My brother has cut me and my family out of his life after a relatively small disagreement.

The Washington Post

For liberals to make such a display of this relatively small disagreement reflects more poorly on them than it does on Frank.

The New York Times

Apparently to harmoniously settle a small financial disagreement, he has also become Mr. Levy's partner.

The New York Times - Food

The curves are almost symmetric and the small disagreement is due to the spiral's non-symmetric form.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

2) Regarding small disagreement between ribosome profiling experiments and reporter assays: We do not expect full concordance between these two assays.

eLife

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a small disagreement" to downplay the severity of a conflict or difference of opinion, especially when aiming for a neutral or conciliatory tone.

Common error

Avoid using "a small disagreement" when the issue at hand is actually a major point of contention, as this can undermine your credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a small disagreement" functions as a noun phrase, typically serving as the subject or object of a sentence. It describes a minor difference of opinion or conflict, as seen in Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a small disagreement" is a noun phrase used to describe a minor conflict or difference of opinion. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct and versatile for various contexts. Although the phrase appears most frequently in news and media sources, it is also present in science and business-related content. It's crucial to use it appropriately by not exaggerating the disagreement when the issue at hand is not a major point of contention. Related alternatives include "a minor dispute" or "a slight difference of opinion", offering slight variations in formality and emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a minor dispute

Replaces 'disagreement' with 'dispute', suggesting a slightly more formal context.

a light disagreement

Uses 'light' to soften the intensity of the disagreement.

a slight difference of opinion

Emphasizes the difference in viewpoints rather than the conflict itself.

a minor difference

Simplifies the phrase to focus on the existence of a difference without emphasizing the disagreement.

a petty quarrel

Indicates a trivial and insignificant disagreement, often with emotional undertones.

a friendly disagreement

Emphasizes the amicable nature of the disagreement, suggesting it does not damage relationships.

a trivial conflict

Highlights the insignificance of the conflict.

a small misunderstanding

Frames the disagreement as a lack of understanding rather than a direct conflict.

a brief contention

Suggests a short-lived and not very serious argument.

a negligible dispute

Emphasizes that the dispute is so small as to be unimportant.

FAQs

What can I say instead of "a small disagreement"?

You can use alternatives like "a minor dispute", "a slight difference of opinion", or "a petty quarrel" depending on the context.

How do I use "a small disagreement" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a situation where there's a minor conflict or difference of opinion, for example: "We had a small disagreement about the budget, but we resolved it quickly."

Is "a small disagreement" formal or informal?

"A small disagreement" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, depending on the surrounding language and situation.

What's the difference between "a small disagreement" and "a major conflict"?

"A small disagreement" implies a minor difference of opinion that is easily resolved, while "a major conflict" suggests a significant and potentially difficult-to-resolve issue.