is close to nothing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is close to nothing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express that something is nearly insignificant or has very little value or impact. Example: "The amount of progress we made on the project is close to nothing, and we need to reevaluate our strategy."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

"The hardest thing is to do something which is close to nothing," says the film poster, quoting the artist.

The Guardian - Arts

512MB is close to nothing.

TechCrunch

The chances of Miley and Zac being on and advertising themselves being on is close to nothing, but people believe you nonetheless.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Therefore, there's close to nothing in terms of interpersonal interaction with local people when it comes to tourists in North Korea.

The Guardian

In fact, only a month before Collins made his announcement Brittney Griner, a feted Women's National Basketball Association draft pick, had come out and coverage was close to nothing.

The Guardian - Opinion

It's not a bad sum for a small house on a highway, but Mr. Jones's mortgage is paid off and his taxes are low, and he says his monthly costs are close to nothing.

The New York Times

But with 12 million Bitcoins in circulation, the temptation to keep them and maybe exchange for a higher value was high especially as its original value was close to nothing.

Huffington Post

Option 3 is close to a do-nothing scenario as the subject vehicle keeps following the leader 3W even if 3Ws are slower than light motorised vehicles (LMVs), heavy motorised vehicles (HMVs), and 2Ws.

Journal of Modern Transportation

Ideologically, it is close to ISIS and al-Nusra, and nothing suggests personal tensions with either organisation.

BBC

Both running and walking are accessible and cost close to nothing.

Huffington Post

On private land it is closer to $11.In this section Nothing but gravel in their pan Anti-war?

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing proportions, use "is close to nothing" when the denominator far exceeds the numerator. Make sure to provide context or data to ensure that your readers understand your argument.

Common error

Avoid using "is close to nothing" when "is nothing" is more appropriate and accurate. "Is close to nothing" suggests a small but existing amount, whereas "is nothing" implies a complete absence.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is close to nothing" functions as a predicative adjective phrase. It modifies a noun or pronoun by describing its state or condition as being nearly insignificant. Ludwig examples show it used to describe quantity, value or impact. Ludwig AI confirms it's correct.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

58%

Science

25%

Wiki

17%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "is close to nothing" serves to minimize the perceived significance of something, suggesting a lack of importance or consequence. While grammatically correct, as supported by Ludwig, its usage is uncommon. It is most often found in news and media and science contexts. When writing, remember that "is close to nothing" indicates a small, existing amount, and alternatives such as "is practically nonexistent" may be more appropriate for certain situations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is practically nonexistent

Emphasizes a near absence or nonexistence of something.

is virtually negligible

Highlights the extremely small and unimportant nature of something.

is almost imperceptible

Focuses on the difficulty of noticing or detecting something.

is substantially trivial

Indicates that something is of very little importance or value.

amounts to very little

Suggests a small quantity or impact of something.

is scarcely significant

Implies a lack of importance or consequence.

is nearly immaterial

Indicates that something has little or no relevance or consequence.

is not far from zero

Emphasizes the proximity to a state of nothingness or absence.

is borderline meaningless

Highlights the lack of purpose or value in something.

is effectively worthless

Indicates a lack of monetary or practical value.

FAQs

How can I use "is close to nothing" in a sentence?

You can use "is close to nothing" to describe something that has a very small quantity, value, or effect. For example, "The progress we've made on this project so far "is close to nothing"".

What are some alternatives to saying "is close to nothing"?

Alternatives include phrases like "is practically nonexistent", "is virtually negligible", or "amounts to very little", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it more accurate to say "is close to nothing" or "is nothing"?

"Is close to nothing" suggests a small but existing amount, while "is nothing" implies a complete absence. Choose the phrase that best reflects the actual quantity or value you're describing.

How formal is the phrase "is close to nothing"?

The phrase "is close to nothing" is generally suitable for both informal and neutral contexts. However, in more formal or professional writing, consider using alternatives like "is virtually negligible" to convey a more sophisticated tone.