marginal advantage

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "marginal advantage" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts discussing economics, business, or competitive strategies where a slight edge or benefit is being described. Example: "By investing in new technology, the company gained a marginal advantage over its competitors in the market."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

27 human-written examples

In vain have serious journalists described the revolutionary training regime, or its legendary pursuit of marginal advantage.

The Guardian - Opinion

Moreover, if you did want that effect, why not use one of the many bizarrely sweet continental sandwich breads that have the marginal advantage of being square.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The Olympics has almost fallen to the monsters of marginal advantage, so professional that the life's been knocked right out of them.

The Guardian - Opinion

In the booming world of the pursuit of marginal advantage, US soldiers learn to be stoical, governance systems are designed to foster the space for disagreement (though probably not in the military) and employees are encouraged to seek fulfilment.

The Guardian - Opinion

In the tortured electoral mathematics of Israel's coalition-building, Netanyahu still has a theoretical marginal advantage with six potential parties he can negotiate with to form a government, against Herzog's five.

The Guardian

There was, too, the marginal advantage that those new authors who were able to secure publication in the war years could be virtually certain that their books would be quickly sold out.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

Systems of automatic type placement at present offer only marginal advantages over conventional methods.

Encyclopedia Britannica

While I accept that, in cricket, it's never clear to the next batsman when he might be in, it seems odd to me – in this era of intense preparation and professionalism and the quest for marginal advantages – that something equivalent never happens.

The Guardian - Sport

McKeever's decision to wear an aerodynamic top adapted from those used by the British cyclists in these Olympics provides a revealing glimpse into the way the two elite sports have been sharing knowledge to gain the "marginal advantages" which Dave Brailsford, the British Cycling performance director never tires of talking about.

Independent

The results revealed marginal advantages for the strata-specific prediction models over the unstratified ones, which were more obvious on the wall-to-wall mapped area-based predictions.

International Journal of Applied Earth Observation and Geoinformation

Though HTC fancies the Vive a more premium experience than the Rift, the two are really on mostly equal footing from a hardware standpoint with each having some marginal advantages over the other.

TechCrunch

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When discussing competitive scenarios, use "marginal advantage" to accurately describe small but potentially crucial gains.

Common error

Avoid using "marginal advantage" when describing substantial or game-changing benefits. Reserve it for scenarios where the advantage is genuinely slight.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "marginal advantage" functions as a noun phrase, where "marginal" acts as an adjective modifying the noun "advantage". As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct and describes a slight or small edge.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

40%

Encyclopedias

7%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "marginal advantage" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to describe a small but significant benefit or edge. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, and the examples show it's common in news, science, and encyclopedia contexts. While alternatives like "slight edge" or "minor benefit" exist, "marginal advantage" accurately conveys the idea of a limited yet potentially crucial gain, especially when discussing competitive scenarios. Be careful not to overstate its significance, reserving it for truly slight advantages.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slight edge

Emphasizes a subtle superiority or advantage.

slight advantage

Reiterates the subtlety of the benefit.

small advantage

Plain restatement of the query with emphasis on the size of the advantage.

minor benefit

Highlights the small degree of gain or profit.

modest benefit

Highlights the unassuming nature of the gain.

small gain

Focuses on the limited increase or improvement.

incremental benefit

Stresses the gradual or step-by-step nature of the advantage.

limited edge

Underscores the restricted scope of the advantage.

narrow lead

Focuses on a slight lead or head start.

tactical advantage

Emphasizes a slight superiority or advantage in a specific situation.

FAQs

How can I use "marginal advantage" in a sentence?

You can use "marginal advantage" to describe a small but significant benefit, such as, "The new software gave the company a "marginal advantage" over its competitors".

What's a good alternative to "marginal advantage"?

Alternatives include "slight edge", "minor benefit", or "small gain", depending on the context.

Is "marginal advantage" the same as "significant advantage"?

No, "marginal advantage" refers to a small or slight benefit, whereas "significant advantage" implies a considerable or substantial benefit.

When is it appropriate to use "marginal advantage" instead of "advantage"?

Use "marginal advantage" when you want to emphasize that the benefit is small or limited, but still potentially important. If the advantage is considerable, simply use "advantage".