minimal result

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "minimal result" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe the least amount of outcome or effect that can be achieved in a given situation. Example: "After conducting the experiment, we found that the minimal result was still significant enough to warrant further investigation."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

That piece, "Paradox of Praxis I (Sometimes Doing Something Leads to Nothing)," illustrates one of Mr. Alys's favorite axioms, "Maximum effort, minimal result".

The New York Times

One of his principles is "maximum effort, minimal result," and many of his elaborate video works seem to wonder aloud if lasting social progress is really possible in Latin America.

The New York Times

Thus, a possible interior optimum must be located by entering all values of n d in the interval [1, n d,max] into the objective function and locate the minimal result.

BMC Medical Research Methodology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Bush, in his second term, has, though with minimal results.

The New Yorker

The sole known commando sortie into enemy territory produced minimal results and ample evidence that American intelligence about the Taliban is thin.

The New York Times

After reaping minimal results on both fronts of its bifurcated policy, the administration is currently reviewing its Syria initiatives to determine if an alternative ought to be adopted.

The Guardian

As Goldberg himself put it, his cartoon inventions were a "symbol of man's capacity for exerting maximum effort to accomplish minimal results".

The New Yorker

For the moment, President Bush enjoys almost unquestioned backing from the electorate; even when the fighting in Afghanistan was producing minimal results, his approval rating stood at close to 90percentt.

The New York Times

Some laboratories report minimal results without any useful or appropriate explanations.

Egyptian Journal of Forensic Sciences

A partial country-wide rollout in Peru found minimal results from the One Laptop Per Child program, which supplied 850,000 laptops at a cost of $225 million.

TechCrunch

If one combines these three elements, it is clear to see why the first attempt by the Dutch Minister Ritzen to improve the supervision of PhD students achieved minimal results.

Science Magazine

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "minimal result", ensure it is clear what the effort or input was that led to this small outcome. This provides context and emphasizes the disparity between input and output.

Common error

Avoid using "minimal result" when the outcome was truly nonexistent. "Minimal" implies some tangible, albeit small, effect. If there was no effect, use terms like "no result" or "null outcome" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "minimal result" functions as a noun phrase, where "minimal" modifies the noun "result". It serves to quantify or characterize the extent of an outcome, indicating that the result achieved was small or insignificant. Ludwig AI examples show it used across different domains, reinforcing its primary function.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Wiki

11%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Reference

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "minimal result" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a small or insignificant outcome, often in contrast to the effort expended. Ludwig AI confirms its acceptability in written English. While relatively rare, the phrase appears across various domains, including news, science, and general writing. Related phrases include "modest outcome" and "negligible effect". To use the phrase effectively, ensure the context clearly indicates the effort or input that failed to produce a significant outcome. Avoiding its use when there is truly no result is also important. By understanding its usage and related terms, you can enhance your writing with precision and clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

modest outcome

Replaces "result" with a synonym "outcome" while retaining the adjective "modest" to indicate a small effect.

slight consequence

Substitutes both "minimal" and "result" with synonyms "slight" and "consequence", emphasizing the small impact of the outcome.

trivial effect

Similar to "negligible effect", this highlights the unimportance or insignificance of the result.

negligible effect

Emphasizes the insignificance of the result by using "negligible", which means so small as to be not worth considering.

inconsequential outcome

Indicates that the result has no important consequences or significant impact.

limited achievement

Focuses on the aspect of accomplishment, using "limited" to suggest the result was not substantial.

marginal impact

Highlights the slight or barely sufficient effect of the result.

insignificant consequence

Emphasizes that the result has little to no importance or effect.

small return

Implies that the result is a return on investment or effort, and that this return is small.

meager yield

Suggests that the result is a yield from some process, and that this yield is very small or insufficient.

FAQs

How can I use "minimal result" in a sentence?

You can use "minimal result" to describe a situation where effort or investment yields a small or insignificant outcome. For example, "Despite extensive marketing, the campaign produced a "minimal result"".

What are some alternatives to "minimal result"?

Alternatives to "minimal result" include "modest outcome", "negligible effect", or "limited achievement", depending on the specific context.

What does it mean when something yields a "minimal result"?

When something yields a "minimal result", it means the effort or investment put into it only produced a small, often disappointing, outcome. It suggests that the output was less than expected or desired.

Is there a difference between "minimal result" and "no result"?

Yes, "minimal result" implies that there was some effect, however small, while "no result" means there was absolutely no effect or outcome at all. The phrases are not interchangeable.