little stronger

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "little stronger" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when describing something that has slightly increased strength or intensity compared to something else. Example: "I think this coffee could use a little stronger flavor to make it more enjoyable."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

58 human-written examples

I felt a little stronger.

The New Yorker

"A little stronger.

The Guardian - Sport

Ruben: Fear bound us a little stronger.

The New York Times

And Boston looked just a little stronger.

The New York Times

Mentally he's a little stronger.

The Guardian - Sport

Fancy something a little stronger?

The Guardian - Travel

Sterling is a little stronger again today.

The Guardian - Business

And for something a little stronger?

The Guardian - Travel

It does get a little stronger.

The Guardian

ANGEL: I'm thinking something a little stronger.

The New Yorker

"I think it's a little stronger," she says.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing two entities or states, use "little stronger" to indicate a marginal improvement or increase in strength, ensuring the context clearly establishes the basis for comparison. For instance, "After the upgrade, the engine felt a "little stronger" than before."

Common error

Avoid using "little stronger" without a clear point of comparison. Saying something is "little stronger" without indicating what it's stronger than can confuse your reader. Always provide context or a reference point for the comparison to make the meaning clear.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "little stronger" functions primarily as a comparative adjective phrase. It modifies a noun or pronoun, indicating a slight increase in strength or intensity relative to something else. Ludwig AI shows that it is used to express a degree of improvement or enhancement.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

85%

Science

8%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Academia

1%

Encyclopedias

1%

Wiki

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "little stronger" is a versatile comparative adjective phrase used to express a slight increase in strength or intensity. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically correct and commonly used across various contexts, particularly in news and media. When using "little stronger", ensure you provide a clear point of comparison to avoid ambiguity. While alternatives like "slightly more robust" or "a tad more powerful" exist, "little stronger" offers a straightforward and readily understood way to convey a nuanced improvement. Its frequency and broad applicability make it a valuable tool in both written and spoken English.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slightly more robust

Replaces "stronger" with "robust" and "little" with "slightly", indicating a marginal increase in resilience.

a tad more powerful

Substitutes "little" with "a tad" and "stronger" with "powerful", suggesting a small increase in force.

marginally more vigorous

Uses "marginally" instead of "little" and "vigorous" for "stronger", implying a slight boost in energy or activity.

somewhat more resilient

Replaces "little" with "somewhat" and "stronger" with "resilient", indicating a certain degree of improved durability.

a bit sturdier

Replaces "little" with "a bit" and "stronger" with "sturdier", suggesting a small improvement in firmness or solidity.

ever so slightly tougher

Emphasizes the small degree of increase by using "ever so slightly" and "tougher" instead of "stronger".

just a little more fortified

Uses "just a little" to mean "little" and replaces "stronger" with "fortified" which speaks to the aspect of reinforcement.

perceptibly firmer

Uses "perceptibly" to indicate a noticeable but not major difference, and replaces "stronger" with "firmer" which suggests solidity.

fractionally more potent

Employs "fractionally" to indicate the nuanced change and replaces "stronger" with "potent", indicative of effectiveness.

minutely more robust

Replaces "little" with "minutely" and "stronger" with "robust", highlighting the small nature of the improvement.

FAQs

How can I use "little stronger" in a sentence?

You can use "little stronger" to describe a slight increase in strength or intensity compared to something else. For example, "I felt a "little stronger" after resting" or "The new version is a "little stronger" than the old one."

What are some alternatives to "little stronger"?

Some alternatives to "little stronger" include "slightly more robust", "a tad more powerful", or "somewhat more resilient", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "a little stronger" or "little stronger"?

Both "a little stronger" and "little stronger" are grammatically acceptable and commonly used. The inclusion of the article "a" is often a matter of stylistic preference, but both constructions convey the same basic meaning of a slight increase in strength.

What's the difference between "little stronger" and "much stronger"?

"Little stronger" indicates a small or marginal increase in strength, while "much stronger" suggests a significant or substantial increase in strength. The choice between the two depends on the degree of difference you want to emphasize.