minor variation

USAGE SUMMARY

"minor variation" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to a slight or insignificant change in something. For example: "We made a few minor variations to the design."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

About 24percentt were named some minor variation of "Resume.doc".doc

The New York Times

He called the calculation error "a minor variation" that "doesn't make a practical difference".

The New York Times - Sports

With minor variation, this table formed the basis of LC Hebraica romanization prior to 1948. 1.

Yale University

This argument is but a minor variation on appellant's main theme.

Cornell University

The OV7670 is programmed with SCCB communication protocol which is a minor variation of I2C.

Cornell University

In other words, each homework assignment would have a unique id and be a minor variation on the others.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

With their livelihoods potentially in jeopardy over such minor variation, teachers will be obliged to teach to the test, he said, rather than "teaching for learning".

The New Yorker

An analysis of individual dives (n = 48 dives from 17 video recordings) shows that most dives follow this general temporal organization, with some minor variation (Supplementary Fig. 10).

Nature

On the contrary, hold-time on both sides had no influence regarding symmetry but exhibited minor variation in peak stresses.

International Journal of Fatigue

This is the stuff of personal life, for sure, usually enacted in a domestic arena, and most likely familiar to us from some major or minor variation in our own lives.

The Guardian - Books

His final performed work was Me, Myself and I (2007), a minor variation on his career-long motif of domestic dysfunction surreally presented, in which a mother is unable to tell her two sons apart.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair "minor variation" with quantifiable data when possible, providing specific details and statistics to support and contextualize the stated change.

Common error

Avoid using "minor variation" when the difference is actually substantial. Ensure the context genuinely reflects a small and relatively unimportant change.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "minor variation" functions as a noun phrase, where "minor" modifies the noun "variation". According to Ludwig AI, this phrase is correct and commonly used. It serves to describe a slight or insignificant difference between two or more things.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

42%

News & Media

25%

Academia

9%

Less common in

Wiki

2%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "minor variation" is a grammatically sound and frequently used term for denoting small, often insignificant differences. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage across diverse fields such as science, news, and academia. When employing this phrase, it's crucial to ensure that the variation genuinely is minor and not to overstate its impact. While alternatives like "slight alteration" or "small difference" exist, "minor variation" provides a specific nuance of minimal change that doesn't fundamentally alter the subject being discussed.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

small difference

Highlights the insignificance of the difference.

minimal alteration

Underscores the least possible amount of change.

slight alteration

Focuses on the act of changing something slightly.

modest adjustment

Indicates a small and controlled change.

marginal change

Emphasizes the minimal impact of the change.

insignificant deviation

Highlights that the deviation from the norm is unimportant.

trivial difference

Emphasizes the unimportance of the difference.

negligible modification

Stresses that the modification is so small it's almost not worth mentioning.

limited modification

Indicates that the modification is restricted in scope or extent.

subtle shift

Implies a change that is not immediately obvious or easily perceived.

FAQs

How can I use "minor variation" in a sentence?

You can use "minor variation" to describe a slight difference between things. For example, "There was only a "minor variation" in the test results between the two groups".

What are some alternatives to "minor variation"?

Some alternatives to "minor variation" include "slight alteration", "small difference", or "marginal change" depending on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "minor variation" in formal writing?

Yes, "minor variation" is appropriate for formal writing. It is a neutral and objective way to describe a small difference without implying judgment or bias.

What's the difference between "minor variation" and "major variation"?

"Minor variation" refers to a small, insignificant difference, while "major variation" indicates a substantial, significant difference that can have a notable impact.