peanuts

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "peanuts" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to refer to a small amount of money or something insignificant. Example: "The project budget was just peanuts compared to the overall expenses." Alternative expressions include "a pittance," "chump change," and "small change."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Lifestyle

Science

Travel

Money

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A typical combined salary for a WSL player also on one of 27 "central" England contracts is around £45,000 per annum – peanuts compared to their male peers but an infinite improvement on the £5 match fees commonly paid by leading clubs only a couple of decades ago.

The Guardian - Sport

In the context of a reported NHS shortfall of £30bn by 2020, that's hardly peanuts.

The Guardian - Opinion

"We did it by laying trails of peanuts to coax them to move out to new setts.

The Guardian

Not just a glass of red and a few peanuts, either: in its San Francisco Triton hotel, we all wore feather boas and had our palms read.

The Guardian - Travel

"The slow introduction of allergenic foods, such as peanut paste (not peanuts themselves), eggs and milk at this time may reduce risk of allergies because there seems to be a window of opportunity for tolerance," she says.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Only 4% of those given a placebo treatment could tolerate peanuts within two to five weeks of the trial.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Add the coconut milk and palm sugar and simmer for a couple of minutes, then add the peanuts and simmer until slightly thickened.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

Don't expect to pick up a beautiful villa, in a desirable location, for peanuts – the big falls were in the off-centre developments that were arguably absurdly over-priced in the first place.

The Guardian - Money

"And the price that farmers get for their cocoa beans is comparatively peanuts when you look at the turnover of the chocolate industry," she added.

The Guardian

I feel rather sorry for the people probably paid peanuts to make these ghastly calls.

The Guardian - Money

And the real Lebedev triumph – with bows from MD Mullins and editor Sands – is that the Evening Standard, offloaded for peanuts by a defeated Mail group when it was losing £20m a year, is turning a profit (£1.75m in 2013).

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In culinary writing, specify the state of the legume (e.g. roasted, crushed, or raw) to ensure clarity for the reader.

Common error

Avoid using ""peanuts"" in the same paragraph where you are also discussing actual food items unless you intend to make a pun, as it can confuse the reader regarding whether you are discussing a budget or an ingredient.

Linguistic Context

In English, ""peanuts"" primarily functions as a plural count noun referring to the edible seeds of the Arachis hypogaea plant. However, it is extensively used as an idiomatic metonym to describe an insignificantly small amount of money or resources. According to Ludwig, the term is grammatically correct and versatile, appearing in both literal culinary contexts and figurative socio-economic discussions.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Lifestyle

20%

Money

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Travel

3%

Formal & Business

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, ""peanuts"" is a highly versatile term in the English language that bridges the gap between literal description and idiomatic emphasis. Ludwig AI confirms its status as a correct and widely accepted expression. Whether you are discussing culinary ingredients in a lifestyle article or critiquing corporate pay scales in a financial editorial, ""peanuts"" provides a succinct way to convey insignificance. While its literal use is straightforward, its figurative power lies in its ability to underscore economic unfairness or triviality with a single, recognizable word. Writers should feel confident using it in journalistic and informal contexts, while opting for more precise alternatives like "a pittance" for more formal settings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

a pittance

Refers specifically to a very small or inadequate amount of money, often used in a formal or literary context.

chicken feed

An informal idiom that emphasizes an amount of money so small it is considered trivial.

chump change

Slang used to describe a negligible amount of money that is beneath one's notice.

small change

A metaphorical term for something or someone that is unimportant or insignificant.

pocket change

Suggests an amount of money small enough to be carried as loose coins in a pocket.

measly sum

Descriptive phrase emphasizing the contemptibly small nature of a quantity.

trifling amount

A more formal way to describe something of little value or importance.

nominal fee

Used in business to describe a very small cost that is charged mainly to fulfill a legal requirement.

groundnuts

The literal botanical alternative name for the legume in many English-speaking regions.

goober peas

A regional or dialectal literal synonym for the actual nut.

FAQs

What can I say instead of peanuts when referring to a low salary?

You can use alternatives like "a pittance", "chicken feed", or "chump change" depending on how informal you want to be.

How to use peanuts in a sentence figuratively?

A common example is: "The company made billions in profit, but they paid their entry-level staff ""peanuts""."

Is the word peanuts singular or plural?

Grammatically, ""peanuts"" is the plural form of peanut. However, when used as an idiom for an amount of money, it is often treated as a singular collective concept, such as in the phrase "that amount is ""peanuts""."

What's the difference between peanuts and small change?

While both refer to insignificance, ""peanuts"" almost always refers to money or compensation, whereas "small change" can refer to unimportant people or minor events.