a small refinement

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a small refinement" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when referring to a minor improvement or adjustment made to something, such as a process, design, or idea. Example: "After reviewing the proposal, I suggest a small refinement to enhance its clarity."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Even if a small refinement to the model is made "in the right direction," there is no guarantee that the nonlinear model will monotonically improve in capturing the target system's behavior.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

But one keyboard, the Zagg iPad Mini Folio, takes it a step further with one small refinement: a hinge that allows you to set the screen to any angle, just as you would with a laptop.

The New York Times - Tech

Overall, Sense is a light touch on Android, with only a few small refinements and tweaks.

The Guardian - Tech

The small refinement in the model may very well lead to the model behavior diverging away from the system's behavior.

SEP

The small refinement in data quality may very well lead to the model behavior diverging away from the system's behavior.[6] In the second approach, keeping the data fixed but making successive refinements in nonlinear models is also not guaranteed to lead to any convergence between model behavior and target system behavior.

SEP

We sent other reports involving suggestions for new synonyms of a term, addition of associations between some genes and a term and small refinements.

Database : the journal of biological databases and curation

Instead, there is a collection of small refinements.

The New York Times - Magazine

That's a lot of small refinements for multiple platforms.

TechCrunch

On the iPhone, you'll get a ton of small refinements.

TechCrunch

Finally, the patient questionnaire was pilot tested among 50 patients in a general dental practice, resulting in small refinements.

BMC Health Services Research

In such a role, evaluators become major tool-users and begin to innovate with small refinements or produce completely new tools to fit a specific challenge or context.

Evaluation and Program Planning

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "a small refinement" when you want to emphasize that an improvement is minor and doesn't fundamentally change the subject. For instance, in software development, it indicates an incremental improvement rather than a major overhaul.

Common error

Avoid using "a small refinement" when the actual change is significant. Misrepresenting a major change as minor can mislead your audience and undermine your credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a small refinement" functions as a noun phrase, where "small" is an adjective modifying the noun "refinement". It typically acts as a subject complement or an object in a sentence. Ludwig AI states that the phrase is correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

15%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Reference

5%

Encyclopedias

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "a small refinement" is a grammatically correct and frequently used phrase that denotes a minor improvement or adjustment. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and usability. The phrase is suitable for various contexts, including news, science, and business, maintaining a neutral to professional tone. When using this phrase, ensure the changes are indeed minor to avoid misrepresentation. Alternatives include "a minor adjustment" or "a slight modification". Remember, context is key when choosing the most appropriate phrasing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a minor adjustment

Replaces "refinement" with "adjustment", indicating a slight alteration or correction.

a slight modification

Substitutes "refinement" with "modification", implying a limited change to something.

a subtle improvement

Replaces "refinement" with "improvement", focusing on the enhancement aspect, while "subtle" keeps the small scale.

a modest alteration

Uses "alteration" instead of "refinement", suggesting a change that isn't drastic or extensive.

a limited tweak

Employs "tweak" to convey a minor adjustment, often used in technical or informal contexts.

a marginal correction

Swaps "refinement" with "correction", implying fixing errors or inaccuracies on a small scale.

a gentle revision

Uses "revision" to suggest a review and slight amending of something.

a delicate adjustment

Replaces "small" with "delicate", implying precision and care in the adjustment.

a miniature change

Substitutes "refinement" with "change", emphasizing the small size of the alteration.

a narrow improvement

Replaces "refinement" with "improvement", focusing on a limited scope of enhancement.

FAQs

How can I use "a small refinement" in a sentence?

You can use "a small refinement" to describe minor improvements or adjustments. For example, "The software update includes "a small refinement" to the user interface".

What are some alternatives to "a small refinement"?

Alternatives include "a minor adjustment", "a slight modification", or "a subtle improvement" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "a small refinement" and "a significant improvement"?

"A small refinement" implies a minor, incremental change, whereas "a significant improvement" suggests a substantial and noticeable enhancement.

When is it appropriate to use "a small refinement" over "a major overhaul"?

Use "a small refinement" when the changes are minimal and do not drastically alter the original subject. If the changes are extensive and transformative, "a major overhaul" is more appropriate.