meager effort

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "meager effort" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe an effort that is insufficient, lacking in quantity or quality, or not substantial enough to achieve a desired outcome. Example: "Despite the team's meager effort, the project failed to meet its goals."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

It's a huge payoff for the meager effort.

The New York Times - Food

Heaps sent a meager effort to the right of the keeper, and Houston clinched the Cup.

The Guardian - Sport

This financing is a meager effort to stabilize population and help poor countries build prosperous, democratic societies.

The New York Times

"It's a very meager effort to try to capitalize on green intentions, and I kind of consider that greenwashing," Mr. Ning said, using the term for representing companies or products as more environmentally friendly than they are.

The New York Times

But even this meager effort proved to be too much for the modern right.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

They contend that comparatively meager efforts are being made.

The New York Times

Meager efforts, like my effort to make a tree get meager applause.

The New York Times

Still, the Obama programs constitute a great leap forward compared with the meager efforts of the previous administration.

The New York Times

In the just-concluded Premier League season, Wolverhampton, the team that finished 20th and last, still received more than $60 million for its meager efforts.

The New York Times - Sports

As Beckmann knows, however, deficit reduction isn't as important as keeping people from starving: "We shouldn't be reducing our meager efforts for poor people in order to reduce the deficit," he told me by phone.

The New York Times

This puts into sobering perspective the meager efforts of the U.S. to stave off global warming by improving gas mileage.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "meager effort", ensure the context clearly indicates what the effort was intended to achieve and why it was insufficient. For example, "Despite their meager effort to increase sales, the company's revenue declined."

Common error

Avoid using "meager effort" when describing tasks that inherently require minimal input. It's more suitable for situations where a more substantial attempt was expected or necessary.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "meager effort" functions as a noun phrase, where "meager" modifies the noun "effort". It describes the quality or extent of the effort exerted. Ludwig AI confirms its correct and usable form.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "meager effort" is used to describe an insufficient or inadequate attempt, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It functions as a noun phrase and is most commonly found in news and media contexts. While grammatically correct, its frequency is rare, suggesting it's not an everyday expression. When using the phrase, ensure the context clearly indicates why the effort was insufficient. Alternatives include "minimal effort" and "insufficient effort", which may be more appropriate depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

minimal effort

Focuses on the extremely small amount of effort exerted.

insufficient effort

Highlights the inadequacy of the effort to achieve the desired outcome.

paltry attempt

Emphasizes the insignificance and worthlessness of the attempt.

feeble attempt

Suggests a weak and ineffective effort.

limited attempt

Indicates that the effort was restricted in scope or scale.

modest attempt

Points to an attempt that is humble and not excessive.

token effort

Implies that the effort was made merely for appearance's sake.

inadequate attempt

Similar to insufficient effort, highlighting the lack of adequacy.

weak attempt

Emphasizes the lack of strength or effectiveness in the attempt.

scant attention

Focuses on the lack of attention or resources devoted to the effort.

FAQs

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

You can use "meager effort" to describe situations where the effort exerted was small or insufficient to achieve the desired outcome. For example, "Their "meager effort" to address climate change proved ineffective."

What can I say instead of "meager effort"?

You can use alternatives like "minimal effort", "insufficient effort", or "paltry attempt" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "small effort" or "meager effort"?

"Meager effort" implies not only smallness but also inadequacy or lack of value, whereas "small effort" simply refers to the size. The choice depends on whether you want to emphasize the ineffectiveness of the effort.

What's the difference between "modest effort" and "meager effort"?

"Modest effort" suggests humility or lack of pretension, while "meager effort" implies insufficiency and poor results. A "modest effort" might still be adequate, whereas a "meager effort" typically falls short.