insignificant

USAGE SUMMARY

The word "insignificant" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to describe something or someone that is not important or has little value. Example sentence: The insignificant benefit of the added expense was quickly forgotten.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

We watch Turner clawing at her, helping himself to her, as though a woman were necessary yet insignificant as a slice of bread.

The Guardian - Film

The protests against the Queen's presence have been numerically insignificant and inconsequential.

The Guardian

At times this was expressed through seemingly insignificant gestures – such as wishing each other a happy birthday – but it offered something entirely absent in the offline world: solidarity, comradeship and, above all, acceptance.

The Guardian - Opinion

Clinton already has a built-in edge with black voters due in no insignificant part to the lingering problems Republicans face with minorities.

The Guardian

But what makes this collection stand out is how painstakingly the author has drawn them; Selvon has a way of investing the most tiny, insignificant detail with a universe of meaning.

The Guardian - Books

"Not an insignificant sum given our £90bn fiscal deficit," he noted.

The Guardian

It certainly has a hefty carbon footprint – with some reports estimating around 82.8g of CO2 for a half-litre bottle – not insignificant when everyone's drinking it.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Although savings through the household benefit cap are insignificant Labour has pledged to keep the policy, which is popular with many voters.

The Guardian

It's smaller than that: a seemingly insignificant, frivolous bit of fluff that only those in the know might notice.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

"To those who say this is insignificant," Cameron told the audience, "remember this: the UK's public sector has a bigger carbon footprint than the entire waste industry.

The Guardian

I know you think I ought to feel insignificant, as a mere teaching and research drone.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "insignificant" to downplay the importance of a detail or action, maintaining a balanced perspective in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "insignificant" to describe something that is already known to be unimportant. Instead, focus on providing context or explaining why something is irrelevant.

Linguistic Context

The word "insignificant" functions primarily as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate a lack of importance, consequence, or impact. Ludwig AI highlights its use in describing details, amounts, or effects that are not worth considering due to their small size or minimal influence.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

39%

Formal & Business

32%

Science

29%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The adjective "insignificant" is a versatile term used to describe something lacking importance or impact, with Ludwig AI confirming its proper usage in English. With a high frequency in news, business, and science contexts, "insignificant" serves to downplay elements considered minor or irrelevant. When you are seeking synonyms, consider ""negligible"", "minor", or "unimportant" for alternative ways to express a similar meaning. A best practice is to use "insignificant" when assessing data to prevent overemphasis on statistically irrelevant results. It's crucial to avoid redundancy by not using the word to describe things already known to be minor.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

negligible

Focuses on the idea of being so small as to be not worth considering.

minor

Emphasizes the small scale or degree of importance.

unimportant

A general term indicating a lack of significance.

nonessential

Highlights the dispensable nature of something.

minuscule

Stresses the extremely small size and therefore lack of importance.

trivial

Suggests that something is frivolous or of little consequence.

irrelevant

Indicates a lack of connection or importance to the matter at hand.

inconsequential

Highlights the lack of impact or effect.

scant

Focuses on the idea of being barely sufficient or adequate.

minimal

Emphasizes the small amount or degree.

FAQs

What does "insignificant" mean?

The word "insignificant" describes something that is not important or has little value. It can refer to details, amounts, or events that don't have a noticeable effect or impact.

How can I use "insignificant" in a sentence?

You can use "insignificant" to minimize the importance of something. For example: "The changes were "negligible"." or "The impact was "minimal"."

What can I say instead of "insignificant"?

You can use alternatives like "unimportant", "trivial", or ""negligible"" depending on the context.

Is it better to use "insignificant" or "inconsequential"?

Both "insignificant" and "inconsequential" mean not important. "Insignificant" emphasizes a lack of size or impact, while "inconsequential" focuses on the lack of logical consequence or relevance.