inordinately small

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "inordinately small" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is excessively or unusually small in size or amount. Example: "The sample size for the study was inordinately small, making it difficult to draw any significant conclusions."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

For the metabolic network described here, we initially opted for Matlab's built-in forward differencing integrator, ode45, which failed to achieve solutions through its selection of inordinately small time steps for the model with both fast and slow changing variables.

BMC Systems Biology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Expect to be inordinately thankful for small gestures of comfort the love of family, and the kindness of strangers.

Huffington Post

This small and inordinately powerful group would have ours be a Christian nation and a democracy.

The New York Times

Since my testes were encapsulated like small yolks in inordinately large eggs, the liquid acted like a shock absorber.

Vice

But the bottom line is that for a vile threat, that is mostly far away, we marshalled national and international resources for combat; while for a domestic issue inflicting greater damage we employ only modest efforts and are legislatively inhibited by a relatively small, effective, and inordinately influential organization.

Huffington Post

For instance, Audi's elongated corporate grille looks at home on a big A8 sedan or a Q7 sport utility, but it seems inordinately brash on the much smaller A3 and TT.

The New York Times

Frodo Baggins, fictional character, a hobbit (one of a race of mythical beings who are characterized as small in stature, good-natured, and inordinately fond of creature comforts) and the hero of the three-part novel The Lord of the Rings (1954 55) by J.R.R. Tolkien.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Hyper-fibrinolysis may be suspected if levels of fibrin degradation products are inordinately high and fibrinogen levels are low.

Critical Care

It's complete mayhem and, reader, I confess that I enjoyed every minute of this ear-splitting, brain-jarring, inordinately protracted cataclysm – even though something similar, if on a far smaller scale, occurred a bit more than 10 years ago, six blocks from my home.

The Guardian - Film

There is a small model figure of American Secretary of State Colin Powell, standing to attention, on Henry Louis Gates's inordinately tidy desk in his Harvard University office.

The Guardian - Books

For the alternative case of small β the error in the shrinking core model prediction for the conversion is found to be inordinately large and even approaching 0.6 0.8 in several cases.

Chemical Engineering Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "inordinately small", ensure that the context clearly benefits from the nuanced emphasis on excessiveness. The phrase is most effective when the smallness is surprisingly or problematically so.

Common error

Avoid using "inordinately small" when "very small" or "extremely small" suffices. The more sophisticated phrasing should be reserved for situations where the excessive nature of the smallness is a key element.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "inordinately small" functions as a compound adjective, modifying a noun by emphasizing that it is excessively or unusually small. Ludwig AI validates this usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "inordinately small" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe something excessively small. According to Ludwig AI, its function is that of a compound adjective. While grammatically sound, its usage is relatively rare, with occurrences primarily in scientific and news contexts. When employing this phrase, consider whether the nuance of excessiveness is truly necessary; simpler alternatives may suffice in many cases. Ludwig's examples highlight that "inordinately small" is best suited for situations where the degree of smallness is noteworthy or problematic.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

excessively tiny

Replaces "inordinately" with "excessively" and "small" with "tiny", both indicating a high degree of being undersized.

unduly diminutive

"Unduly" emphasizes inappropriateness, and "diminutive" provides a more formal synonym for "small".

disproportionately minute

"Disproportionately" suggests an imbalance in size, and "minute" is a more refined term for very small.

remarkably petite

"Remarkably" highlights the unusual nature, while "petite" offers a gentler synonym for "small".

exceptionally little

"Exceptionally" emphasizes the rarity of the smallness, using a more common term "little" for clarity.

unusually compact

Uses "compact" to imply a small size that is also dense or tightly packed.

singularly undersized

"Singularly" focuses on the uniqueness of the smallness, and "undersized" is a straightforward alternative.

extremely reduced

"Reduced" implies that something was made smaller, and "extremely" intensifies the degree.

noticeably miniature

"Noticeably" draws attention to the small size, and "miniature" suggests a scaled-down version.

surprisingly slight

"Surprisingly" adds an element of unexpectedness, and "slight" denotes a delicate or insignificant size.

FAQs

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

You can use "inordinately small" to describe something that is excessively or unusually small, like "The sample size was "inordinately small", leading to inconclusive results".

What's a simpler way to say "inordinately small"?

Alternatives include "extremely small", "very small", or "unusually small", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "inordinately small" formal or informal?

"Inordinately small" leans towards the formal side due to the use of "inordinately". Consider your audience and the overall tone of your writing when choosing this phrase.

What's the difference between "inordinately small" and "disproportionately small"?

"Inordinately small" emphasizes the degree of smallness is excessive, while "disproportionately small" suggests the smallness is out of balance or not in proper proportion to something else.