modest but significant

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "modest but significant" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that may not be large or extravagant but still has an important impact or value. Example: "The changes made to the policy were modest but significant, leading to improved employee satisfaction."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

The reduction in borrowing costs was modest but significant.

The Guardian - Business

Six compounds were found to give modest, but significant, inhibition of RTA.

Toxicon

Using HR-GFP-Vpx + viruses, we observed a modest but significant increase in the transduction efficiency.

Stem Cell Research

Cognitive impairment appears to have a modest, but significant impact on patients' desire for hastened death.

General Hospital Psychiatry

The VSLAs have led to modest but significant improvement in household income.

The Guardian

We observed that B49 induced a modest but significant tumor growth inhibition (35%).

Nature

What's driving the demand for garment workers is a modest but significant reshoring of apparel production.

The New York Times

Proving this, recent engineering efforts in model species led to modest but significant improvements in stress tolerance of transgenic plants.

Annals of Botany

Phonological memory explained a modest, but significant, amount of variance in comprehension of the unpointed script alone.

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology

From the very start of our E3 demo, this feels like a modest but significant evolution for the Lego series.

The Guardian - Tech

In both diet groups, modest but significant increases in DA were observed during the 30-s tone.

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "modest but significant" to accurately describe outcomes or changes that, while not large-scale, still have an important and measurable effect. This demonstrates nuance and precision in your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "modest but significant" when the impact is truly negligible. Ensure the effect is genuinely measurable and important, even if not substantial, to maintain credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "modest but significant" functions as a descriptive adjective phrase, often used to qualify a noun. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness. It emphasizes that while something may not be large in scale, it still has an important and measurable effect.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

67%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "modest but significant" is a grammatically correct and commonly used expression that describes an impact or effect that is important despite not being large in scale. Ludwig AI confirms its appropriateness and usability in written English. It's frequently found in scientific literature, news reports, and formal documents, indicating a broad applicability across various contexts. Related phrases include "slight but considerable" and "subtle yet impactful". When using the phrase, ensure that the described effect is genuinely measurable and meaningful to avoid overstating its importance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

marginal but important

Replaces "significant" with "important", conveying a similar level of impact despite the small scale.

slight but considerable

Substitutes "modest" and "significant" with synonyms "slight" and "considerable", expressing a similar idea.

subtle yet impactful

Emphasizes the understated nature with "subtle" and replaces "significant" with "impactful", highlighting the effect.

small but meaningful

Uses simpler language to convey the same meaning, focusing on the positive aspect of "meaningful".

limited but noteworthy

Replaces "significant" with "noteworthy", suggesting the effect is worthy of attention, despite its size.

minor but consequential

Highlights that even though something is minor, it still has important consequences.

humble yet impactful

Expresses that despite being humble, the impact is still very high.

inconspicuous but substantial

Suggests that while the effect may not be immediately obvious, it is still substantial.

discrete but appreciable

Indicates a separated impact that is still considerable

superficial but decisive

Focuses on the aspect of appearance even if the impact can be a game changer

FAQs

How can I use "modest but significant" in a sentence?

The phrase "modest but significant" is used to describe an effect or change that is not large in scale, but is still important or noteworthy. For example: "The new policy resulted in a "modest but significant" improvement in employee morale."

What's a synonym for "modest but significant"?

Synonyms for "modest but significant" include phrases like "slight but considerable", "subtle yet impactful", or "small but meaningful". These all convey the idea of an impact that is important despite its small scale.

Is it better to say "modest and significant" or "modest but significant"?

"Modest and significant" implies two separate qualities, whereas ""modest but significant"" suggests a contrast: the effect isn't large, but it's still important. The 'but' emphasizes that the significance exists despite the modesty.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "modest but significant"?

Use "modest but significant" when you want to highlight that something, while not large or extravagant, still has a real and important impact. It's particularly useful when the scale of the effect might initially seem unimportant.