cannot be small

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "cannot be small" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express that something must be of a certain size or cannot be minimized in scale or importance. Example: "In this context, the impact of climate change cannot be small; it affects every aspect of our environment."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

We cannot be small 'c' conservatives.

The Guardian

As a practical matter, to induce participation under Obamacare, the opt-out penalty cannot be small — it must be comparable to this amount.

The New York Times

Smaller ρ indicates larger update speed, but it must be chosen suitably and cannot be small arbitrarily to affect the convergence.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Therefore, to avoid that the quality of some stego images become too low, we suggest that the value of |CG j | cannot be small if w j is large.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

The n given cover images are assigned to T cover groups, and cover group j (CG j ) hides w j shadows, true for each j = 1, 2, …, T. Therefore, |CG j |, which denotes the number of cover images in CG j, cannot be small if w j is large.

EURASIP Journal on Advances in Signal Processing

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

*-* but cannot be smaller than SLAMBG.

Stanford University

But overestimation errors are unbounded, whereas underestimation errors are bounded, since they cannot be smaller than zero.

Encyclopedia Britannica

We first considered an OLS regression, but because donations cannot be smaller than 0 or larger than 10 (cf. Figs 1 and 2), one may argue that the data are censored.

Nature

Results from the TCGEV distribution are consistent, i.e., the estimated return levels of the overall annual maxima cannot be smaller than those for the convective and stratiform components obtained from the GEV distribution.

Journal of Hydrology

Since o2 ≤ o3, then ν11 cannot be smaller than ν12.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Thus the next rank detection result cannot be smaller than r 2, i.e., r 2≤r 3.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "cannot be small" when emphasizing the necessity for something to be significant in size, impact, or importance. Avoid using it when referring to literal physical dimensions.

Common error

Avoid using "cannot be small" in casual conversation or informal writing where simpler alternatives like "needs to be big" or "must be significant" would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "cannot be small" functions as a qualifier, indicating that a certain attribute or measure must be of considerable magnitude or significance. This is often used to emphasize the importance or impact of something, implying that it is unacceptable or insufficient if it lacks a certain level of intensity or size, as evidenced by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "cannot be small" is grammatically sound and functions to emphasize the necessary significance or magnitude of something. Ludwig AI indicates the phrase is correct and usable in written English. It is most commonly found in scientific and news-related contexts, exhibiting a neutral to formal register. While not overly frequent, its use is appropriate when stressing that something needs to be of considerable impact or size. When writing, ensure the context warrants this emphasis, and consider more informal alternatives for casual settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

must be substantial

Emphasizes the need for a considerable size or amount.

must be significant

Highlights the importance and impact required.

cannot be negligible

Indicates that the item or factor is important and deserves attention.

must be considerable

Stresses the size or extent of something.

must be appreciable

Suggests that something should be easily noticed or felt.

must be marked

Indicates a notable or distinct characteristic.

must be pronounced

Highlights the clear and obvious nature of something.

cannot be trivial

Implies the subject requires serious consideration due to its relevance.

needs to be sizable

Highlights the necessity of a considerable size.

must be ample

Implies the necessity of being adequate or more than adequate.

FAQs

How can I use "cannot be small" in a sentence?

Use "cannot be small" to emphasize that something needs to be significant in size, impact, or importance. For example, "The impact of the decision "cannot be small" if we want to see real change".

What are some alternatives to "cannot be small"?

You can use alternatives like "must be significant", "cannot be negligible", or "must be substantial" depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "can't be small" instead of "cannot be small"?

Yes, "can't be small" is the contracted form of "cannot be small" and is grammatically correct. It's more informal but perfectly acceptable in many contexts.

What's the difference between "cannot be small" and "should not be small"?

"Cannot be small" implies a stronger requirement or necessity, whereas "should not be small" suggests a recommendation or preference. "Cannot" indicates it's unacceptable for something to be small, while "should not" implies it's better if it's not small but doesn't necessarily rule it out.