marginal effort

USAGE SUMMARY

"marginal effort" is correct and usable in written English.
It is most commonly used to refer to the minimal amount of effort expended in doing something. For example: "The team put in a marginal effort and as a result lost the game."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

We're looking at a marginal effort, versus monumental ones by others".

The New York Times

It was a marginal effort compared with the band's previous one, "Loose Screw" (2002), a strong collection that should have made Hynde something — more famous, more respected.

The New Yorker

With little marginal effort and just those three sources all free and public we matched 1,356 (27.1%) of the numbers.

TechCrunch

She further shows that the effect of bonus taxes on the variable pay of the agent depends on the relationship between the agent's risk aversion, firm value variance, and the slope of the marginal effort cost function.

Business Research

We've developed many kinds of biases to help us navigate the world with marginal effort.

Huffington Post

Higher quintiles of monthly consumption per capita captured poor households that might need to exert greater marginal effort and percentage of household wealth than rich households to obtain similar daily resources [15].

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

51 human-written examples

Longstanding though distinctly marginal efforts to challenge this accounting convention are now gaining traction.

The New York Times

The key success factors of such marginal resuscitation efforts are early bystander actions with vigorous CPR and early warning of the emergency system, early dispatch of adequate rescue units (ground and air-ambulances) and good co-ordination between the resources outside and inside the hospital, aggressive rewarming and a spirit not to give up".

Wikipedia

The marginal cost of effort often increases as effort is exerted.

Journal of Economic Theory

Cooperation means the team maximizes the total utility of its members: mathop {hbox{max} }limits_{{e_{1} cdots e_{n} }} left( {theta_{j} e_{j} - alpha_{j} e_{j}^{2} } right) - F. Since economies of scale do not affect marginal returns to effort, cooperative households will choose the same effort as those in private farming.

Complex Adaptive Systems Modeling

The wage rate exactly compensates for the farmer's constant marginal disutility of effort, so that his reservation utility when he does not supply effort is zero.

Agricultural and Food Economics

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "marginal effort" when you want to highlight the disparity between the expected and actual level of effort, often implying a negative outcome or lack of commitment.

Common error

Avoid using "marginal effort" when describing significant achievements or outcomes. This phrase downplays the actual effort involved, potentially misrepresenting the situation and diminishing the accomplishments.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "marginal effort" functions as a noun phrase, where "marginal" modifies the noun "effort". It serves to describe the extent or degree of effort applied in a given situation. Ludwig AI identifies its correct and usable form.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "marginal effort" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a minimal level of exertion. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a correct and usable term, most often carrying a negative connotation. While relatively rare in occurrence, it appears across various contexts like news, science, and business. When using this phrase, ensure the context clarifies the inadequate nature of the effort to effectively convey the intended meaning. Consider alternatives like "negligible effort" or "minimum effort" to fine-tune the intended emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

negligible effort

Indicates an effort that is so small as to be practically nonexistent.

minimum effort

Denotes the smallest amount of effort required to achieve something.

token effort

Implies an effort made insincerely or superficially.

slight effort

Refers to an effort that is small in degree or extent.

modest effort

Suggests an effort that is limited in scope and intensity.

perfunctory attempt

Highlights an attempt carried out with minimal enthusiasm or care.

half-hearted endeavor

Describes an attempt lacking in sincerity and commitment.

superficial attempt

An attempt that does not go beyond the surface or obvious.

cursory action

An action carried out quickly and without attention to detail.

routine attempt

An attempt performed as part of a regular procedure, without significant dedication.

FAQs

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

You can use "marginal effort" to describe a situation where someone exerted minimal effort. For example, "The project failed because the team put in only a marginal effort".

What are some alternatives to "marginal effort"?

Some alternatives include "negligible effort", "minimum effort", or "token effort" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "marginal effort" a positive or negative term?

"Marginal effort" typically carries a negative connotation, suggesting that the effort exerted was insufficient or inadequate for the task at hand.

What's the difference between "marginal effort" and "significant effort"?

"Marginal effort" implies a minimal amount of exertion, while "significant effort" suggests a considerable amount of hard work and dedication.