marginal growth

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "marginal growth" is correct and can be used in written English.
It refers to a small or slight amount of growth that is not significant or substantial. Example: The company reported marginal growth in their profits this quarter, which was below their expectations.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

36 human-written examples

Instead, it posted a marginal growth of 0.2percentt.

The New York Times

ZenithOptimedia actually predicts marginal growth for national newspapers and very slight increases for regional newspapers, magazines, radio and cinema.

The Guardian

New orders, which include domestic orders, showed marginal growth by rising to 50.8, a four-month high.

The New York Times

More surprising economic data out of the UK, with today's PMI showing UK construction activity returned to marginal growth in July.

The Guardian - Business

Some of that marginal growth came from one album, Adele's "21" (XL/Columbia) which sold 5.82 million copies, the best one-year sales count for any album since Usher's "Confessions" sold 7.98 million copies in 2004.

The New York Times

Better news saw Spain eke out marginal growth of 0.1% while the Italian economy essentially stabilized following extended contraction, although concerns persist about the ability of both countries to develop and sustain genuine recove 10.35am GMT Greece's recession may be easing, but there's no end to its unemployment crisis.

The Guardian - Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

24 human-written examples

There appears, on the other hand, to be some marginal increase in growth after stage 3 in both sexes of simum (Figures 1a, 2a).

Plosone

But the company offered flat guidance for the forthcoming quarter to the end of September, suggesting it will have revenues of between $34bn to $37bn – which would see marginal revenue growth – and gross margins of 36%to37%7%.

The Guardian - Tech

The monetary policy reaction has been similar on either side of the Atlantic, but marginal credit growth has produced less bang in Britain than in America.

The Economist

We suspect that expansion in the dominant service sector was strong enough to allow the economy to eke out marginal GDP growth of 0.1 to 0.2% quarter-on-quarter in the first quarter.

The Guardian - Business

He finds that aggregate consumption and therefore marginal utility growth is not affected when all taxes are transferred back.

Business Research

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing economic trends or scientific results, use "marginal growth" to indicate a small, often statistically insignificant, increase. This helps manage expectations and avoid overstating the positive change.

Common error

Avoid using "marginal growth" when describing substantial or significant increases. It is intended to convey a minimal degree of change, and misusing it can mislead your audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "marginal growth" primarily functions as a noun phrase. It typically acts as a subject or object within a sentence, describing the state or degree of increase. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

32%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

4%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "marginal growth" is a noun phrase used to describe a slight or small increase. According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is grammatically sound and commonly found across different types of sources. It functions to provide an accurate assessment of progress, primarily in neutral and professional contexts like news reports, scientific articles, and business documents. When communicating about small increments, "marginal growth" allows the audience to manage expectations and avoid overstating positive outcomes. Alternatives include "slight increase" and "modest expansion".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slight increase

Focuses on the upward movement, emphasizing it's minimal nature.

modest expansion

Highlights the limited scale of the expansion.

small increment

Emphasizes the step-by-step nature and the limited size of the increase.

negligible improvement

Points out that the improvement is so small it's almost not worth mentioning.

limited progress

Focuses on the constrained or restricted nature of the progress.

minor upturn

Highlights a small positive change after a period of decline or stagnation.

weak advance

Suggests the growth is not strong or robust.

inconsequential gain

Stresses that the gain is not significant or important.

tenuous development

Indicates that the development is fragile or uncertain.

gradual accretion

Focuses on the slow and steady accumulation of growth.

FAQs

How do I use "marginal growth" in a sentence?

Use "marginal growth" to describe a slight or small increase in something. For example, "The company experienced "marginal growth" in sales this quarter."

What are some alternatives to saying "marginal growth"?

You can use alternatives such as "slight increase", "modest expansion", or "small increment" depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "marginal growth" in a formal business report?

Yes, "marginal growth" is appropriate for formal business reports when you need to accurately represent a small increase without exaggerating its significance.

What is the difference between "marginal growth" and "significant growth"?

"Marginal growth" indicates a small, almost negligible increase, while "significant growth" suggests a substantial and noteworthy increase. The choice depends on the actual scale of the increase you are describing.