nominal duty

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "nominal duty" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where you are referring to a duty or responsibility that is minimal or symbolic rather than substantial. Example: "The employee's nominal duty was to oversee the project, but the real work was done by the team."

✓ Grammatically correct

Chemical Engineering Research and Design

Britannica

TechCrunch

Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy

Nanoscale Research Letters

The Economist

The New York Times

Princeton University

International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping

BioMed Research International

EURASIP Journal on Embedded Systems

HuffPost

Wikipedia

The Guardian - Music

The Guardian - Lifestyle

The New Yorker

Harvard University

Cornell University

Mathematics-in-Industry Case Studies

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Adding only a small percentage of the nominal duty of VR results in much better operability of HIDiC.

Chemical Engineering Research and Design

A Franco-British treaty of 1786, placing a nominal duty on imported creamware, practically ruined the ordinary faience industry of France, and its extinction was completed for domestic use in the first half of the 19th century by the growth of indigenous makers of grès façon d'Angleterre (or faience fine).

Britannica

We surrendered control of our government to representatives because it's better to have a few (ostensibly) informed individuals whose (nominal) duty it is to govern on our behalf.

TechCrunch

If the population is sufficiently large and the term (w_t) is neglected, then the nominal duty cycle (D^{text {n}}) (and consequently the aggregate load) can be considered constant and is calculated based on the average parameters of the population.

Journal of Modern Power Systems and Clean Energy

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

However, as governments are cutting space budget programs they are looking to hand over these relatively nominal duties to the private sector and redirect funds to long-range space exploration and science programs.

TechCrunch

They levied nominal customs duties in the city of Makassar, which made it a prosperous trading port.

Britannica

All gratings were designed with a pitch of Λ = 4 μm and nominal ridge/groove ratio (duty cycle) of 50%.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Mr Blair's nominal deputy is John Prescott.

The Economist

In a one-sentence announcement, the official press agency Tass said the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet, the nation's nominal Parliament, had "released from his duties" Yevgeny V. Kulov, 57 years old, chief of the State Committee for Safety in the Atomic Power Atomic Industry since 1983.

The New York Times

These appointments are expected to be at a small fraction of full-time duty and to involve only nominal compensation through the research grant or contract.

Princeton University

The paper deals with the assessment of the correct design methodology that allows selecting the appropriate screw (in terms of reference nominal diameter) to be used in high duty bolted joints.

International Journal of Pressure Vessels and Piping

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "nominal duty", ensure the context clearly indicates that the responsibility is either small in scope or primarily symbolic. Avoid using it when describing significant or critical responsibilities.

Common error

Avoid using "nominal duty" when the actual responsibilities involved are substantial or require significant effort. This misrepresents the true nature of the task and can lead to confusion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "nominal duty" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective 'nominal' modifies the noun 'duty'. It describes a responsibility that is minimal, symbolic, or exists primarily in name only. Ludwig AI confirms its usability in written English.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

15%

Less common in

Academia

10%

Formal & Business

10%

Wiki

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "nominal duty" is a valid and frequently used phrase that describes a responsibility that is minimal or symbolic rather than substantial. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is suitable for diverse contexts, particularly in news, science, and encyclopedic writing. When using "nominal duty", make sure that the context shows that the responsibility isn't big, and consider alternative phrases such as "minimal responsibility" or "symbolic obligation" for greater clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

minimal responsibility

Emphasizes the limited extent of the responsibility.

symbolic obligation

Highlights the representative, rather than practical, nature of the duty.

slight obligation

Focuses on the small weight or burden of the obligation.

token duty

Suggests that the duty is performed as a formality or gesture.

perfunctory task

Implies the task is carried out without real interest or effort.

insignificant responsibility

Stresses the lack of importance attached to the responsibility.

minor obligation

Highlights the reduced scale of the obligation.

light responsibility

Indicates an easy or undemanding responsibility.

formal duty

Highlights that the duty is more based on formalities rather than something real.

ancillary task

Denotes that the task is supportive or secondary to the main duties.

FAQs

How can I use "nominal duty" in a sentence?

You can use "nominal duty" to describe a responsibility that is minimal or largely symbolic. For example, "His "nominal duty" was to attend meetings, but he rarely contributed."

What's a good alternative to "nominal duty"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives such as "minimal responsibility", "symbolic obligation", or "slight obligation".

Is "nominal duty" the same as "actual duty"?

No, "nominal duty" implies a duty that is small, symbolic, or exists in name only, while "actual duty" refers to the real and substantive responsibilities associated with a role or position.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "nominal duty"?

Use "nominal duty" when you want to emphasize that a particular responsibility is not significant or that someone's role is more about title than actual work. For example, "The chairman had a "nominal duty" to oversee the company, but the CEO made all the decisions."