narrow tolerance

USAGE SUMMARY

"narrow tolerance" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it in contexts where precision or strict limits are required, such as engineering or quality control. An example: "The machine operates within a narrow tolerance to ensure accuracy." Alternative expressions include "tight tolerance" and "limited tolerance."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Experts familiar with the shuttle system, told about the results, said they were amazed that in a vehicle as gigantic as the space shuttle any component would be designed with such a narrow tolerance for catastrophic error - in this case, 16 thousandths of an inch.

The New York Times

Compared with our prediction of 184 nm, a narrow tolerance of 4 nm demonstrates the accuracy of our method.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Rather, control in a set point system is activated when the target value falls outside some narrow tolerance range on either side of the control point.

DMM Disease Models and Mechanisms

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

This work contributes to the robustness of industrial assembly processes with high inaccuracy concurrent to narrow tolerances.

Robotics and Autonomous Systems

The production of complex film elements in narrow tolerances requires a better control of the deposition parameters and a lower impurity level than presently obtainable.

Vacuum Technology Transactions Proceedings of the Sixth National Symposium

Catalysts on cars have developed from simple oxidation devices with air injection to converters that oxidise and reduce at the same time, aided by advanced engine management systems that hold the engine's air/fuel ratio within narrow tolerances.

Catalysis Today

Stabilized moisture and temperature conditions would, of course, promote species with narrow tolerances.

Plosone

It generally has narrow tolerances of soil moisture, being vulnerable to drought, and grows in fens and marshes.

BMC Evolutionary Biology

Theory predicts that organisms under fine-grained fluctuations generalist with respect to adaptive plasticity and tolerances will evolve, while those under constant conditions will be specialists with narrow tolerances (van Tienderen 1991; Scheiner 1993).

Evolutionary Applications

The narrow tolerances (e.g. temperature and pH ranges) of some proteins limit the availability of potential habitats for the whole organism, impacting gene flow and, ultimately, colonization ability of the species.

BMC Ecology

There is narrower tolerance to biomass size and moisture content.

Energy, Sustainability and Society

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In biological contexts, use it to describe an organism's inability to survive outside a specific temperature or pH range.

Common error

Avoid using "narrow tolerance" when you specifically mean a lack of social acceptance or patience. In social contexts, it is more accurate to speak of "intolerance" or a "lack of toleration", as tolerance in engineering refers to a physical measurement of variation.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "narrow tolerance" functions as a noun phrase where "narrow" acts as an attributive adjective modifying the noun "tolerance". According to Ludwig, it typically serves as the object of a preposition (e.g. "within a narrow tolerance") or as the direct object in a sentence describing constraints or precision.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

55%

Academia

25%

News & Media

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

1%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "narrow tolerance" is a versatile and precise term used across multiple disciplines to define a slim margin for variation or error. In the realm of engineering and manufacturing, it denotes a high level of accuracy required for components to function together correctly. In biology and ecology, it describes the fragility of species that can only survive within specific, unchanging environmental conditions. According to Ludwig AI, the term is most prevalent in formal, scientific and journalistic contexts. Writers should favor this phrase when they wish to emphasize that a system is sensitive or that a specification is exacting. While it can be applied to social or political dissent, its primary home remains in technical fields where measurements and thresholds are critical to success and survival.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

tight tolerance

More common in manufacturing and mechanical engineering to describe highly precise specifications.

close tolerance

A technical synonym frequently used in machining and metalwork.

small margin for error

A more idiomatic expression often used in high-stakes situations or sports.

fine margin

Emphasizes the subtleness of the difference between success and failure.

narrow threshold

Often used in biological or psychological contexts to describe a sensitive trigger point.

strict limit

Focuses on the boundary itself rather than the range of variation allowed.

precise allowance

Emphasizes the mathematical exactness of what is permitted.

limited leeway

More informal and suggests a lack of freedom to deviate from a plan.

stringent requirement

Shifts the focus to the rule or standard that must be followed strictly.

slight deviation

Describes the actual variation rather than the capacity to handle it.

FAQs

How do I use "narrow tolerance" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe physical limits, such as: "The machine was designed with a "tight tolerance" of only 0.01 millimeters".

What is the difference between "narrow tolerance" and "tight tolerance"?

While both mean almost the same thing, ""tight tolerance"" is more standard in industrial and engineering jargon, whereas "narrow tolerance" is frequently found in scientific literature regarding environmental factors.

Can "narrow tolerance" be used in a social context?

Yes, though less common than technical use, it can describe a restrictive social climate, such as having a "narrow tolerance" for dissent or "limited leeway" for different opinions.

What is a synonym for "narrow tolerance" in biology?

In ecological studies, you might use "narrow threshold" or "limited environmental range" to describe a species' sensitivity to change.