has made minimal progress

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase 'has made minimal progress' is a correct phrase in English and can be used in written English.
For example, "The project has made minimal progress since its launch six months ago."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

In its other Wall Street businesses, First Union has made minimal progress despite the long bull market.

The New York Times

And Berlusconi, in power for much of the last 17 years, has made minimal progress on necessary tax, regulatory and entitlement reforms.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

He made minimal progress from hour to hour, but never left his station.

The New Yorker

Biomedical science has accomplished much in recent years, but one area in which it has made only minimal progress is increasing the diversity of scientists working in its ranks.

Science Magazine

Until you decide, you'll be required to use willpower, and will continue making minimal progress.

Huffington Post

He has made some progress.

The Economist

Kenya has made some progress.

The Economist

In fairness, South Africa has made real progress.

The New York Times - Magazine

"He has made good progress.

BBC

The family has made some progress.

Forbes

Senegal has made astonishing progress.

Unicef

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "has made minimal progress", ensure that the context clearly indicates the expected level of progress versus the actual outcome. Providing specific examples of what was expected can strengthen your point.

Common error

Avoid using "has made minimal progress" when there has been absolutely no progress at all. In such cases, phrases like "has made no progress" or "has stagnated" are more accurate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "has made minimal progress" functions as a statement indicating a low degree of advancement. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is a correct and usable phrase. It is often used to express disappointment or concern about the slow pace of development in a particular area.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Formal & Business

25%

Science

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "has made minimal progress" is a grammatically correct expression used to indicate that something has advanced, but to a very limited degree. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. Its frequency is uncommon, appearing most often in news media, formal business contexts and scientific publications, suggesting a neutral to professional tone. When using this phrase, it's essential to provide context to clarify the expected versus actual progress. While alternatives like "has achieved little advancement" or "has shown limited improvement" exist, "has made minimal progress" serves as a clear and concise way to convey a critical assessment of the rate of development.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

has achieved little advancement

Replaces "progress" with "advancement" and "minimal" with "little", emphasizing the lack of significant development.

has shown limited improvement

Substitutes "progress" with "improvement" and "minimal" with "limited", focusing on the small degree of positive change.

has experienced only slight gains

Replaces "progress" with "gains" and "minimal" with "slight", highlighting the small amount of positive results.

has scarcely advanced

Uses "scarcely advanced" to convey a similar meaning to "has made minimal progress", emphasizing the near absence of forward movement.

has barely moved forward

Emphasizes the lack of significant movement or advancement.

has stagnated

Indicates a complete lack of progress or movement, suggesting a standstill.

has made no headway

Replaces "progress" with "headway", indicating the absence of forward movement or advancement.

has remained largely unchanged

Focuses on the lack of alteration or development, suggesting that the situation has stayed the same.

has seen negligible development

Replaces "progress" with "development" and "minimal" with "negligible", underscoring the insignificance of the progress made.

has faltered

Suggests a stumbling or weakening, implying that progress has been hindered or has stopped altogether.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "has made minimal progress" to sound more formal?

In formal contexts, consider alternatives like "has achieved limited advancement" or "has demonstrated negligible improvement".

Is "has made minimal progress" always negative?

Yes, "has made minimal progress" generally carries a negative connotation, suggesting that expectations for advancement have not been adequately met. However, it acknowledges that some progress, however small, has occurred.

What's the difference between "has made minimal progress" and "has made little progress"?

The phrases "has made minimal progress" and "has made little progress" are very similar. "Minimal" emphasizes the smallness of the progress in relation to expectations, while "little" simply indicates a small amount of progress.

When is it appropriate to use "has made minimal progress" in a sentence?

Use "has made minimal progress" when you want to convey that some advancement or development has occurred, but it is significantly less than what was anticipated or desired. For example, "The company has made minimal progress in expanding its market share this quarter".