negligible amount

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "negligible amount" is a perfectly acceptable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to a quantity or amount (generally of something small or insignificant) so small it is not worth considering. For example, "The chance of success was so small that we accepted the risk for the negligible amount of money involved."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

For someone as rich as Soros, eighteen and half a million dollars is almost a negligible amount of money.

The New Yorker

Extracts are often heavy on cannabidiol, with a negligible amount of THC.

The New York Times

Such cuts are defensible: the contribution subsidy raises pensions by a negligible amount, for example.

The Economist

In comparison to what governments spend on basic medical research, $3bn is, of course, a negligible amount.

The Guardian - Tech

Walker said that Blake did not want to be paid, but that she insisted on giving him a "negligible" amount.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

A negligible amount of time when compared with a 12-hour flight, a mere breath in a three-day marathon.

Independent

If it goes by truck, it's about 300 calories, still a negligible amount in the overall picture.

The New York Times

In mature economies migrant labour contributes little to total agricultural output and only a negligible amount to nonagricultural output.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Safety of Sweeteners In the American market, five non-nutritive sweeteners contain no calories or a negligible amount, despite being much sweeter than sucrose.

The New York Times - Health

"That is not a negligible amount of money, particularly since there is strong competition from tourism in countries such as Spain, Portugal or Turkey," he says.

The Guardian

The companies said the new route could increase Russia's share of American oil imports to 13percentt from a negligible amount now.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Pair "negligible amount" with specific units or contexts to provide clarity. For example, "a negligible amount of radiation" or "a negligible amount of error".

Common error

Avoid using "negligible amount" when the quantity, though small, has a significant impact or consequence. Always consider the context and potential effects, even with small values.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "negligible amount" functions as a quantifier, specifically describing a quantity so small that it is effectively inconsequential. Ludwig examples show its wide application across diverse contexts to downplay the significance of certain amounts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Science

34%

News & Media

32%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "negligible amount" is used to describe a quantity so small it is not worth considering. Ludwig AI indicates that it's grammatically correct and widely used across various contexts. The analysis reveals its function as a quantifier with a communicative purpose to minimize importance, suitable for neutral register. While it appears most frequently in scientific and news media sources, its consistent presence across multiple domains underscores its widespread applicability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

insignificant quantity

Replaces "amount" with "quantity", emphasizing the lack of importance or consequence.

minimal quantity

Uses "minimal" instead of "negligible", indicating the least possible amount or degree.

trifling quantity

Substitutes "negligible" with "trifling", highlighting that the quantity is so small as to be unimportant.

inconsequential sum

Replaces "amount" with "sum", suggesting a small and unimportant total.

very small quantity

Emphasizes the size of the quantity, indicating it is exceptionally small.

almost nothing

Replaces the entire phrase with a simpler, more direct expression indicating a very small quantity.

scarcely any

Indicates that the amount is barely present or almost non-existent.

a drop in the ocean

An idiomatic expression signifying that the amount is so small it's practically unnoticeable in relation to a larger whole.

an insignificant detail

Shifts the focus from quantity to the unimportance of something, even if present.

a mere pittance

Uses "pittance" to describe a very small and inadequate amount, often referring to money.

FAQs

How can I use "negligible amount" in a sentence?

You can use "negligible amount" to describe something so small that it's essentially unimportant. For instance, "There was a "negligible amount" of rainfall this month" means the rainfall was so minimal that it hardly made a difference.

What's the difference between "negligible amount" and "small amount"?

"Small amount" indicates a quantity that is limited but still potentially relevant. "Negligible amount" implies the quantity is so insignificant it can be safely ignored without affecting the outcome.

Is it always appropriate to use "negligible amount" in formal writing?

Yes, "negligible amount" is appropriate for formal writing when describing quantities that are insignificant. However, ensure the insignificance is factual and not an exaggeration to maintain credibility.

What are some alternatives to "negligible amount" that I can use?

Depending on the context, you could use phrases like "insignificant quantity", "minimal quantity", or "trifling quantity"/s/trifling+quantity to convey a similar meaning.