marginal increase in

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "marginal increase in" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when discussing a small or slight rise in a particular measurement or value, often in contexts like economics, statistics, or research. Example: "The study showed a marginal increase in productivity after implementing the new software."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

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

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

The New York Times

In the short term, the report projects a need for a marginal increase in beds by 2004.

The Guardian

But the weakness of domestic demand is enough to prevent Hugo Boss from forecasting more than a marginal increase in revenue this year.

The New York Times

Fred L. Krebs, the New York & Atlantic president, said the third track might bring a marginal increase in freight trains, but "there won't be many more".

The New York Times

MRR = (marginal increase in gross margin/marginal increase in variable cost) × 100.

Environmental Systems Research

Why doesn't the increase in clarity/explicitness outweigh the marginal increase in sentence length?

SEP

The August figure signalled only a marginal increase in total activity across manufacturing and services.

BBC

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

Aquaculture

Rainfall projections for the future shows marginal increase in the annual average rainfall.

Journal of Hydrology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing quantitative data, specify the unit of measurement alongside the "marginal increase in" to provide context and clarity. For example, "a marginal increase in temperature of 0.2 degrees Celsius" is more informative than simply "a marginal increase in temperature".

Common error

Avoid using "marginal increase in" when the actual change is substantial. This phrase should only be used when the rise is genuinely small and not particularly impactful; otherwise, it misleads the reader about the magnitude of the change.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "marginal increase in" functions as a noun phrase, typically used as a subject or object in a sentence. It describes a small or slight rise in a particular quantity or measurement. Ludwig provides many examples illustrating its use in diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

28%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "marginal increase in" is a common and grammatically correct way to describe a small or slight rise in something. Ludwig's analysis, drawing from a wide range of sources, confirms that it's most frequently used in scientific and news contexts. When using this phrase, be mindful of the magnitude of the change you're describing; it should genuinely be small to avoid misleading your audience. As Ludwig AI confirms, this is a well-established expression for denoting minor increments.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slight rise in

Replaces 'increase' with 'rise' and 'marginal' with 'slight', indicating a small increment.

small uptick in

Uses 'uptick' to denote a slight increase or improvement.

modest growth in

Substitutes 'increase' with 'growth' and 'marginal' with 'modest', implying a limited expansion.

minor escalation in

Replaces 'increase' with 'escalation' and 'marginal' with 'minor', suggesting a slight upward movement.

negligible augmentation in

Uses 'augmentation' instead of 'increase' and 'negligible' to emphasize the insignificance of the change.

inconsequential boost in

Replaces 'increase' with 'boost' and 'marginal' with 'inconsequential', highlighting the limited impact of the rise.

limited improvement in

Focuses on the limited nature of the improvement rather than a precise increase.

tiny elevation in

Employs 'elevation' to signify a small rise, with 'tiny' indicating its scale.

subtle increment in

Uses 'increment' instead of 'increase', and 'subtle' to convey a hardly noticeable change.

almost imperceptible growth in

Expresses a growth so small it's barely detectable, emphasizing minimal change.

FAQs

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

You can use "marginal increase in" to describe a slight or small rise in something. For example, "The study showed a marginal increase in sales after the marketing campaign" or "There was a marginal increase in the price of gasoline this week".

What are some alternatives to "marginal increase in"?

Some alternatives to "marginal increase in" include "slight rise in", "small uptick in", "modest growth in", or "minor escalation in", depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "marginal increase in" when the increase is significant?

No, "marginal increase in" should only be used when the increase is genuinely small and not particularly impactful. Using it for a significant increase would be misleading. Use alternative terms like "substantial increase in" or "significant rise in" instead.

What's the difference between "marginal increase in" and "significant increase in"?

"Marginal increase in" indicates a small, often barely noticeable rise, while "significant increase in" denotes a considerable and impactful rise. The choice depends on the magnitude of the change you are describing.