marginally over

USAGE SUMMARY

"marginally over" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It means something is slightly or just barely over a certain limit or threshold. For example: - The temperature is marginally over 80 degrees, but I still think it's comfortable. - The company's profits were marginally over their projections for the quarter. - The movie received mixed reviews, with some critics praising it and others finding it marginally over average. - The clothing store's prices are generally reasonable, but some items may be priced marginally over their competitors.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

37 human-written examples

Farming practices in rural China have improved marginally over this period.

Harvard Business Review

Libya's sovereign wealth fund, LIA, upped its stake in Pearson to marginally over 3% last year.

The Guardian

"We have asked for the B sample to be tested because he was only marginally over the limit.

The Guardian - Sport

We do not know what the freeze notice covers at this point". Libya's sovereign wealth fund, LIA, upped its stake in Pearson to marginally over 3% last year.

The Guardian

Global tuberculosis incidence has declined marginally over the past decade, and tuberculosis remains out of control in several parts of the world including Africa and Asia.

The Lancet Respiratory Medicine

Oddly enough, despite all the predictions of panic, the stock market was down only marginally over the last couple of sessions.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

23 human-written examples

Overall, our data suggest that women are only marginally over-represented among TTH patients, whereas there was a significant gender bias in favor of females in patients with migraine.

The Journal of Headache and Pain

A last-ditch clearance by Gary Irvine denied Goodwillie and only a marginally over-eager touch by Rooney foiled a chance for the same player in a neat one-two.

BBC

Codons ACG, CCG and GCG were marginally over-represented in the coding sequences of some species and under-represented in others.

DNA Research

However, its overall share dropped year-over-year, and grew only marginally quarter-over-quater, Gartner said.

TechCrunch

Munster expects subscriber additions to be up "marginally" year-over-year in fiscal 2007.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "marginally over", ensure the context provides a clear reference point for what is being exceeded. This provides clarity and prevents ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "marginally over" when the difference is substantial. This phrase implies a small degree of excess, so it would be inappropriate for large deviations.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "marginally over" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb or adjective. As Ludwig AI states, it indicates that something is slightly or just barely above a specified limit or threshold. It quantifies the degree to which something exceeds a certain point.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

5%

Academia

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "marginally over" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to indicate that something slightly exceeds a given limit or threshold. As Ludwig AI reports, this phrase is versatile and appears across diverse contexts such as news, science, and business, denoting a small degree of excess. When writing, it's crucial to provide clear context and avoid overstating the significance of the excess. Considering semantically related phrases such as "slightly above" or "just above" might improve clarity in specific contexts.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slightly above

Indicates being a small amount higher, emphasizing the position relative to a level.

just above

Highlights the minimal difference from a specific level.

a little more than

Focuses on the quantity exceeding a certain amount.

barely exceeding

Stresses the narrow margin by which something passes a limit.

fractionally higher

Emphasizes the small, fractional increase.

minimally beyond

Indicates a minimal extent of going past something.

scarcely surpassing

Highlights that something barely exceeds a certain level.

negligibly exceeding

Emphasizes the insignificant amount of exceeding.

a shade over

Uses a qualitative descriptor for a minimal increase.

nought over

Emphasizes that amount over is near zero.

FAQs

How can I use "marginally over" in a sentence?

Use "marginally over" to indicate something slightly exceeds a limit or threshold. For example, "The budget was "marginally over" the allocated amount, but the benefits outweighed the cost".

What are some alternatives to saying "marginally over"?

Alternatives include "slightly above", "just above", or "a little more than" depending on the specific context and nuance you wish to convey.

What is the difference between "marginally over" and "significantly over"?

"Marginally over" implies a small excess, while "significantly over" suggests a much larger and more important difference. Choose the phrase that accurately reflects the degree to which something exceeds the reference point.

Is it better to use "slightly over" or "marginally over"?

Both phrases are similar, but "marginally over" might be preferred in more formal or technical contexts, while "slightly over" may be more common in everyday conversation.