low to nil

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "low to nil" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a very small or negligible amount of something, often in contexts like risk, probability, or availability. Example: "The chances of rain tomorrow are low to nil, so we can plan our outdoor event without worry."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Construction and Building Materials

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

When thermally activated clays such as metakaolin (aluminic pozzolan) are added to Portland cements with low (to nil) C3A content, an AFt phase of pozzolan origin may also form.

Construction and Building Materials

Lung recruitment however depends on the amount of non-aerated lung tissue (i.e. on the number of potentially recruitable lung units) [23], which should be low to nil in healthy lungs.

Intensive Care Medicine Experimental

A merge of the Wt1 and Gpx1 immunostainings shows that control mice express Gpx1 in podocytes (Fig. 1C), whereas expression is very low to nil in PodoTrsp-/ podocytes (Fig. 1G).

BMC Nephrology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Patients whose tumour had an E-cadherin expression low-to-nil (score 0 to 1+) showed a tendency toward an increased risk of failure vs patients with intermediate E-cadherin expression (score 2+ HR=1.71; CI=0.72+4.06).

British Journal of Cancer

Because the maximum yearly rate of spread is ∼150 m, local-scale dispersal is unlikely to account completely for low-to-nil intracity genetic differentiation and cannot account for it at the rangewide scale (Suarez et al. 2001).

Evolutionary Applications

In fact, both patients with a low-to-nil (score 0 to 1+) expression level of E-cadherin and patients with a high E-cadherin expression level (score 3+) demonstrated an increased risk of failure (respectively, hazard ratio (HR)=1.71, confidence interval (CI =0.72 4.06 and HR=4.22, CI=1.406 12.66) and an interesting association with young age.

British Journal of Cancer

Our findings provide evidence that, with respect to intermediate values (score 2+), low-to-nil (score 0 to 1+) or high (score 3+) E-cadherin expression values are associated with an unfavourable prognosis explaining, at least in part, the conflicting clinical evidence on the prognostic impact of E-cadherin when assessed on dichotomic basis.

British Journal of Cancer

Our results are consistent with the pattern of low-to-nil genetic differentiation within L. humile that has been found in almost all other introduced populations at local and rangewide scales (local: Suhr et al. 2009; Ingram and Gordon 2003; rangewide: Tsutsui and Case 2001; Buczkowski et al. 2004; Corin et al. 2007a).

Evolutionary Applications

"Her chances before Kristalina Georgieva's entrance into the race were quite low, and now they've gone from low to virtually nil," he told Radio New Zealand.

The Guardian

And there is trembling in corporate bonds, though the default rate on these — even on junk corporates — is at a historic low, and close to nil.

The New York Times

Studies have reported rates of occult HBV markedly varying from as low as nil to as high as 89.5% [ 14- 17] in these patients.

BMC Infectious Diseases

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "low to nil", ensure the context clearly indicates a range that approaches zero rather than simply being low. It's effective for emphasizing a minimal impact or presence.

Common error

Avoid using "low to nil" when a more precise quantifier is available and appropriate. If the quantity or effect is measurable, provide the specific value instead of relying on this somewhat vague descriptor.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "low to nil" functions as a qualifier, specifically an adjectival phrase, used to describe the extent or degree of something. It indicates that the quantity, probability, or effect is at a minimum, almost nonexistent. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Construction and Building Materials

8%

Wiki

1%

Reference

8%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "low to nil" is a phrase used to describe something that is nearly nonexistent or has a minimal impact. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically sound and understandable. While not extremely common, appearing with "uncommon" frequency, its usage spans across different areas like science, news, and occasionally formal business contexts. It is best used when emphasizing a quantity or effect that borders on zero. Alternatives include "minimal to none" or "slight to none". When opting for "low to nil", consider the context and whether a more precise quantifier would be more appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

minimal to none

Emphasizes the extremely small quantity, bordering on non-existence.

slight to none

Indicates a small degree that effectively approaches zero.

negligible to zero

Highlights the insignificance, closely aligning with a value of zero.

almost nonexistent

Focuses on the near absence of something.

virtually absent

Underscores the functional absence, even if technically present.

close to zero

Quantifies the proximity to the baseline of zero.

approaching zero

Suggests a trend of diminishing quantity towards nothing.

near zero

Simple expression denoting a very small amount.

scarcely any

Highlights the infrequency or rarity, approaching a complete lack.

hardly any

Conveys a sense of rarity or lack, though slightly less formal.

FAQs

How can I use "low to nil" in a sentence?

You can use "low to nil" to describe something that is almost nonexistent or negligible. For example, "The risk of complications is "low to nil"."

What can I say instead of "low to nil"?

You can use alternatives like "minimal to none", "slight to none", or "negligible to zero" depending on the context.

Is "low to nil" formal or informal?

"Low to nil" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it is generally more suitable for technical or scientific writing where precision is important. In more casual settings, simpler phrases like "almost none" might be preferred.

When is it appropriate to use "low to nil" instead of just "low"?

Use "low to nil" when you want to emphasize that something is not just low, but so close to zero that it's practically negligible. It adds a stronger sense of insignificance than simply saying "low".