marginal increase

USAGE SUMMARY

'marginal increase' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to an increase in something that is very small or not significant. For example, "The company saw a marginal increase in profits from last quarter."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Israel had the highest Neet rate, with 30.7%, but this was a marginal increase on 2008.

The Guardian

"You've seen it in the N.B.A. deal, which had a marginal increase.

The New York Times - Sports

The figure was a marginal increase on last year's 2.6 million.

The Guardian

Is the marginal increase in government power that the N.S.A. program represents justified by the marginal increase in safety that it provides, if it does provide such an increase?

The New Yorker

Social mobility is a problem that cannot be fixed by a marginal increase in school funding for poorer pupils.

The Guardian - Opinion

"Despite the tragedy, the industry ended the year with 6.9 million North Americans cruising, a marginal increase over 2000".

The New York Times - Travel

That is a heady multiple for only a marginal increase in market share.

The New York Times

In August there has been a marginal increase in people landing on Greek islands, prompting panicked headlines.

The Guardian

Testing larger numbers of progeny resulted in a marginal increase in response to selection.

Aquaculture

The chemical composition remained unvaried, with a marginal increase in the oxide content.

Materials & Design

Reduced NOx, HC and CO emission levels, with marginal increase in smoke emission level were achieved.

Fuel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "marginal increase", ensure the context clearly indicates what is experiencing the slight growth. For example, "a marginal increase in sales" is more precise than simply "a marginal increase."

Common error

Avoid using "marginal increase" when the actual increase is substantial or significant. This can mislead the audience and undermine the accuracy of your statement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "marginal increase" functions as a noun phrase, where "marginal" modifies the noun "increase". It describes the extent or degree of the increase as being small or insignificant. Ludwig confirms this phrase is correct and usable in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

40%

News & Media

35%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "marginal increase" is a common and grammatically sound way to describe a slight or insignificant rise. As Ludwig indicates, it's widely used across various fields like science, news, and business. When using "marginal increase", be precise about the context to ensure clarity and avoid exaggerating the scale of the increase. Related phrases like "slight increase" or "modest growth" can offer similar meanings. Overall, understanding the context and scale is crucial for the effective use of "marginal increase".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slight increase

Replaces "marginal" with "slight", emphasizing the smallness of the increase.

small rise

Uses "rise" instead of "increase", providing a synonym with similar meaning.

modest growth

Employs "growth" instead of "increase" and "modest" instead of "marginal", suggesting a limited expansion.

incremental gain

Substitutes "increase" with "gain" and "marginal" with "incremental", highlighting a gradual addition.

minor improvement

Replaces "increase" with "improvement", focusing on a positive change that is small in magnitude.

negligible increase

Uses "negligible" to emphasize that the increase is so small it's almost not worth considering.

tiny uptick

Offers a more informal term, "uptick", paired with "tiny" to convey the minimal increase.

gradual escalation

Implies a slow and steady increase, using more formal language.

limited advancement

Highlights the restricted nature of the progress or increase.

subtle augmentation

Uses sophisticated vocabulary to denote a barely perceptible increase.

FAQs

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

You can use "marginal increase" to describe a slight or small growth in something. For example, "There was a marginal increase in the company's profits this quarter."

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

Alternatives to "marginal increase" include "slight increase", "small rise", or "modest growth", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "a marginal increase" or "an marginal increase"?

It is correct to say "a marginal increase" because "marginal" begins with a consonant sound.

How does "marginal increase" differ from "significant increase"?

"Marginal increase" indicates a small, often barely noticeable rise, while "significant increase" denotes a substantial and noteworthy growth.