negligibly

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "negligibly" is correct and usable in written English.
It is typically used to describe something that is so small or insignificant that it can be ignored or considered unimportant. Example: "The changes in temperature were negligibly small, having no effect on the experiment's outcome."

✓ Grammatically correct

Encyclopedias

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

36 human-written examples

Beer drinking in western Europe and America is growing negligibly or is in decline.

The Economist

Most natural light sources exert negligibly small forces on objects; this subtle effect was first demonstrated in 1903 by the American physicists Ernest Fox Nichols and Gordon Hull.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The overall hydrophobicity is negligibly affected by the hydrophilic OH group.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The contribution of the other amino acids to the optical activity of a protein is negligibly small.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Similarly, quantum mechanics must yield the same results as classical mechanics in circumstances when Planck's constant can be considered as negligibly small.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The amount contained in the radiation field (most of which is in the cosmic microwave background) contributes negligibly to the total at present.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Figure 2A shows a simplified two-dimensional representation of an intrinsic silicon crystal that is very pure and contains a negligibly small amount of impurities.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Second, inflation so dilutes the concentration of any magnetic monopoles appearing as "topological knots" during the GUT era that their cosmological density will drop to negligibly small and acceptable values.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Under what circumstances are variations in the density negligibly small?

Encyclopedia Britannica

When I was twenty years old, I became a kind of apprentice to a man named Andrew Lytle, whom pretty much no one apart from his negligibly less ancient sister, Polly, had addressed except as Mister Lytle in at least a decade.

The New Yorker

It involves a game that is becoming increasingly questionable to play, a system of negligibly compensated labor that appears to be crumbling, a means for crowning a champion that makes minimal logical sense, and fans who behave like heathens, even by the already debased standard set by sports fans at large.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "negligibly", ensure the context clearly indicates what is being considered insignificant. This prevents ambiguity and strengthens the statement's impact.

Common error

Avoid using "negligibly" when the impact is demonstrably significant, even if it seems small in isolation. Overusing it can undermine your credibility and misrepresent the true situation.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "negligibly" is to act as an adverb. It modifies adjectives or verbs to indicate that something is so small or insignificant that it can be disregarded. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

Encyclopedias

25%

News & Media

52%

Science

23%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "negligibly" functions as an adverb used to express that something is so small or unimportant that it can be disregarded. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, its usage is grammatically correct and relatively frequent, appearing often in news, media, encyclopedia, and scientific contexts. While it can fit across a range of registers, its formal nature lends itself primarily to neutral and formal settings. When using "negligibly", make sure to clearly define what is being considered insignificant. Related phrases include "insignificantly" and "minimally". In conclusion, "negligibly" serves as a useful tool for accurately describing something of little consequence.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

insignificantly

Replaces "negligibly" with a direct synonym, focusing on the lack of significance.

minimally

Indicates the effect or degree is at its lowest possible extent.

slightly

Suggests a small degree of impact or change, though potentially noticeable.

barely

Implies that something is only just achieved or present, with a sense of scarcity.

scarcely

Similar to "barely", but may also imply doubt about existence or effect.

imperceptibly

Focuses on the idea that something is so small it's almost impossible to notice.

inappreciably

Emphasizes that something does not have a substantial or noticeable impact.

almost not at all

Provides a more descriptive alternative, highlighting the near absence of something.

to a minor extent

Phrases the concept in terms of the degree or scope of an action.

to a trifling degree

Suggests something is so unimportant it is not worth considering.

FAQs

How can I use "negligibly" in a sentence?

"Negligibly" is used to describe something that is so small or insignificant that it can be ignored. For example, "The difference in results was "negligibly" small."

What can I say instead of "negligibly"?

You can use alternatives like "insignificantly", "minimally", or "slightly" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "negligibly small" or "negligible small"?

"Negligibly small" is the correct phrasing. "Negligibly" is an adverb that modifies the adjective "small", indicating the extent to which something is small. "Negligible small" is grammatically incorrect.

What's the difference between "negligibly" and "negligible"?

"Negligible" is an adjective meaning insignificant or so small as to be not worth considering, while "negligibly" is an adverb that modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb, indicating the degree to which something is negligible. For example, "The risk is "negligible"" (adjective), versus "The risk is "negligibly" small" (adverb).