a trivial reduction

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "a trivial reduction" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you are discussing a simplification or decrease that is considered insignificant or minor. Example: "In this study, we found that the changes resulted in a trivial reduction in overall costs."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

Russia responded with a promise of a trivial reduction; Mexico said it would make a substantial cut if others, like Russia and Norway, did the same.

The New York Times

But they tend to be small and do not provide much revenue to pay for more than a trivial reduction in tax rates.

The New York Times

These calculations showed that gonad shielding (1 mm Pbeq., Dr. Goos-Suprema, Heidelberg, Germany) gave a trivial reduction of the already very small radiation risk.

Insights into Imaging

The disappointing result showed a trivial reduction in incidence among the treatment group compared to the placebo group.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Nevertheless, the mean change in BP and HR during the shift did differ between the two groups, with the more experienced nurses showing a trivial reduction in systolic and diastolic BP and minor increase in HR whereas the less experienced ones showed slight increase in both BP and HR measurements (Table 1), reaching almost statistical significance.

Critical Care

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

If this is followed by a modest growth slowdown, there could then be a fairly trivial reduction in oil consumption.

The New York Times

Meta-analysis demonstrated a statistically significant but trivial reduction of HbA1c (weighted difference in means -0.21%, 95% confidence interval -0.40 to -0.03, p <.03) and LDL-cholesterol (weighted difference in means -3.38 mg/dL, 95% confidence interval -6.27 to -0.49, p <.02).

BMC Health Services Research

We found that these interventions were associated with some improvement in surrogate outcomes (trivial reduction in hemoglobin A1c and LDL cholesterol levels).

BMC Health Services Research

In its submission, South Korea, the world's eleventh-largest emitter, committed to only trivial reductions, saying it could not go further because its economy is so heavily based on manufacturing.

The New Yorker

Our model predicts the non-trivial reduction in Vegfa expression, which is indeed observed in vivo in Fgf10 LacZ/+ but to a greater extent (Ramasamy et al., 2007).

Biology Open

If countries had been able to get people into space easily and there hadn't been fatal accidents like Apollo 1, Columbia, and Challenger — and Russia's Soyuz 1 and Soyuz 11 — then getting to space would be a trivial exercise in long-term cost reduction.

Vice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing changes or results, use "a trivial reduction" to downplay the significance of a decrease. This can be useful when you want to avoid overstating the impact of a negative outcome or emphasize other more important factors.

Common error

Avoid using "a trivial reduction" when the decrease is actually substantial or significant. Ensure that the magnitude of the reduction genuinely warrants the descriptor "trivial" to maintain accuracy and credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "a trivial reduction" functions as a noun phrase, where "trivial" modifies the noun "reduction". Ludwig AI shows that it is often used to describe something that is reduced but not in a meaningful or important way.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "a trivial reduction" is a noun phrase used to describe a decrease that is of little importance. Ludwig AI analysis confirms that it functions to downplay the significance of a reduction, suggesting its impact is minimal. It is grammatically correct, with usage spanning news, scientific, and business contexts. When using the phrase, ensure the reduction genuinely warrants the "trivial" descriptor to avoid misrepresentation. Alternative phrases include "an insignificant decrease" and "a negligible decline".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

an insignificant decrease

Replaces "trivial" with "insignificant", emphasizing the lack of importance of the reduction.

a negligible decline

Uses "negligible" instead of "trivial", highlighting that the decrease is so small it can be disregarded.

an inconsequential adjustment

Uses "inconsequential" instead of "trivial", emphasizing that the change is unimportant.

a slight downturn

Substitutes "reduction" with "downturn", suggesting a minor negative change or movement.

a marginal decrease

Replaces "trivial" with "marginal", implying that the decrease is at the very edge or border of significance.

a minimal lessening

Employs "minimal lessening" to convey that the reduction is the smallest possible amount.

a modest cut

Replaces "trivial reduction" with "modest cut", implying the amount reduced is small but is possibly intentional.

a superficial drop

Replaces "trivial" with "superficial", indicating the drop is shallow or at the surface only.

a cosmetic adjustment

Suggests that the reduction is superficial and made for appearance rather than substance.

a symbolic gesture

Indicates that the reduction is intended as a signal or representation, rather than a substantive change.

FAQs

How can I use "a trivial reduction" in a sentence?

You can use "a trivial reduction" to describe a small or insignificant decrease. For example, "The new policy resulted in "a trivial reduction" in costs."

What can I say instead of "a trivial reduction"?

You can use alternatives like "an insignificant decrease", "a negligible decline", or "a slight downturn" depending on the context.

Is "a trivial reduction" the same as "a significant reduction"?

No, "a trivial reduction" implies a small, unimportant decrease, while "a significant reduction" indicates a large, important decrease. They are antonyms.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "a trivial reduction"?

It's appropriate when the decrease is so small that it has little to no practical impact. Using it accurately helps to avoid exaggerating the importance of minor changes.