not much improvement

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "not much improvement" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate that there was not a large improvement or change. For example: "Although we worked hard on the project, there was not much improvement in the overall results."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

There is really not much improvement in the economy".

The New York Times

"There is not much improvement from what I've seen," Ms. Hartnett said, adding that the problem was most acute in the emergency room and billing office.

The New York Times

And though it could be argued that fiery Loge, foolish Wotan and impetuous Siegfried were not much improvement on the Wagners, Wolfgang at least controlled them.

The Economist

It was found that there is not much improvement of fatigue strength at 107 cycles for specimens with shallow hardened layers in spite of having a high compressive residual stress of about 1000 MPa.

International Journal of Fatigue

EU auditors recently recommended pulling the plug on another project, Marco Polo, in which large sums have been spent on tracks and terminals with not much improvement to show for it.

The Economist

What is seen is not much improvement.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

At low error tolerance the model is not learning enough and there isn't much improvement in results.

Complex Adaptive Systems Modeling

Monfils did not mention the serve, which did not need much improvement.

The New York Times - Sports

Here, persons whose mental health improved over time did not show much improvement in the PCS, even though the Do less:Physical measure improved substantially.

Health and Quality of Life Outcomes

The current design does not generate much improvement in economic efficiency because it does not replace the royalty system.

The Economist

"We're really not seeing much improvement".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "not much improvement" to temper expectations or describe situations where efforts have not yielded substantial results. It's effective in conveying a sense of disappointment or unmet potential.

Common error

Avoid using "not much improvement" when there is clear evidence of significant advancement. Overusing the phrase can undermine credibility and paint an inaccurate picture.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "not much improvement" primarily functions as a qualifier, expressing a degree of change that is considered small or insignificant. It modifies a noun (improvement) to indicate a limited or disappointing level of progress, as evidenced by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

50%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "not much improvement" is a grammatically sound and neutrally-registered phrase employed to express a lack of substantial progress or positive change. As supported by Ludwig, it commonly appears in both news and scientific contexts to temper expectations or voice disappointment. Related phrases, such as ""slight improvement"" or ""minimal progress"", offer similar nuanced expressions. When using this phrase, ensure that it accurately reflects the situation to avoid misleading or undermining your message.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slight improvement

Indicates a minimal positive change, but still emphasizes the lack of significant progress.

minimal progress

Highlights the small degree of advancement made, suggesting that it's almost negligible.

hardly any progress

Stresses the near absence of forward movement or positive change.

little advancement

Emphasizes the limited amount of progress achieved, focusing on the lack of forward movement.

virtually no improvement

Highlights the extreme lack of positive change, suggesting it's almost imperceptible.

marginal gain

Implies that the benefit or progress made is very small and may not be worth the effort.

no significant change

Directly points out the absence of any substantial or meaningful alteration.

negligible difference

Indicates that the change is so small it's practically non-existent or insignificant.

remains largely unchanged

Indicates that the subject has stayed mostly the same, with little to no alteration.

stagnant performance

Highlights the fact that the subject has stopped developing.

FAQs

What does "not much improvement" mean?

The phrase "not much improvement" indicates that there has been some change, but the progress or positive difference is minimal or insignificant.

What can I say instead of "not much improvement"?

You can use alternatives like "slight improvement", "minimal progress", or "little advancement" depending on the context.

Is "not much improvement" a formal or informal phrase?

"Not much improvement" is generally considered a neutral phrase and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

How can I use "not much improvement" in a sentence?

You can use "not much improvement" to describe situations where something has not progressed as expected. For example, "Despite the new strategy, there was "not much improvement" in sales figures."