reasonably slight

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "reasonably slight" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is minor or not significant, often in a context where a degree of reasonableness is implied. Example: "The changes made to the document were reasonably slight, ensuring that the original intent remained intact."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

Even if the rinsing of fibers prior to weighing was done as thoroughly as reasonably possible, slight residues, barely visible, may have affected the results, i.e. the recorded weight of synthetic fibers.

International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials

For this week, the process will remain reasonably similar, with slight tweaks to the timeline.

TechCrunch

Even Nyāya, a school championing a view of knowledge as unselfconscious of itself as true, subscribes to the epistemological principle of "Innocent until reasonably challenged" (a slight weakening of the "Innocent until proven guilty," as pointed out, e.g., by Matilal 1986, 314: "Verbal reports … are innocent until proven guilty").

SEP

However, as the differences in IZD between the two treatments were slight, we can reasonably conclude that antimicrobial substances are mainly generated inside cells and then secreted into the supernatant.

BioMed Research International

The sums of the estimated concentrations of the reactant (oxyHb) and proposed products (metHb and hemichromes) appeared to be reasonably constant over time (Figure 1B), although a slight decrease was discernible.

Plosone

One can reasonably speculate that Mr. Trump incurred or witnessed some slight in his early years, and the impact was fundamental.

Huffington Post

The industrial conglomerate General Electric held up reasonably well in a difficult first quarter, with its industrial businesses showing slight gains in profit and its struggling finance unit staying in the black.

The New York Times

However, comparisons between motifs in gene regulatory networks of different bacteria which should have suffered the effects of entirely comparable "intrinsic constraints" yield slight "fine-tuning" differences in motifs statistics that can be reasonably related to environmental adaptation [ 12].

BMC Systems Biology

They focus on reasonably sized chunks of grammar, and drill over and over again, with just slight changes each time.

The Economist

Even a pizza came out reasonably well, with a full-flavored, crackerlike crust that had a pleasing if slight chew.

The New York Times - Food

Despite a slight increase in the difference for n = 5, we may reasonably conclude that there is no significant systematic error.

Earth, Planets and Space

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "reasonably slight", ensure the context implies a judgment of acceptability or sufficiency. For instance, use it when describing a change or difference that is small enough not to cause concern or invalidate results.

Common error

Avoid using "reasonably slight" when the context requires a stronger emphasis on the impact or importance of the change or difference. Overusing it can undermine the credibility of your assessment.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "reasonably slight" functions as an intensifier modifying an adjective. It specifies that the degree of the adjective is both small and within acceptable limits. Ludwig indicates it's grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "reasonably slight" is a grammatically correct expression used to describe something that is both small in degree and acceptably so. As indicated by Ludwig, it fits standard grammar rules. While its occurrence is rare, it finds application across various domains, from science to news. When using it, ensure the context implies a judgment of acceptability, and be mindful not to overstate its significance. Consider alternatives like "fairly insignificant" or "somewhat minor" for nuanced meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely noticeable

Highlights the lack of prominence of the slight effect or degree.

moderately small

Replaces "reasonably" with "moderately", which has a similar meaning, and "slight" with "small".

somewhat minor

Uses "somewhat" instead of "reasonably" and "minor" instead of "slight", both indicating a small degree.

fairly insignificant

Substitutes "reasonably" with "fairly" and "slight" with "insignificant", emphasizing the lack of importance.

relatively trivial

Replaces "reasonably" with "relatively" and "slight" with "trivial", suggesting the issue is not important in comparison to others.

acceptably minimal

Focuses on the acceptability of the small degree, implying it meets a certain standard.

noticeably subtle

Emphasizes the difficulty in perceiving the slightness, adding a nuance of observation.

comfortably modest

Highlights the ease with which the slightness is handled or perceived.

just barely perceptible

Indicates that the degree is so small it's almost not detectable.

within tolerable limits

Suggests that the slightness falls within an acceptable range of variation.

FAQs

How can I use "reasonably slight" in a sentence?

You can use "reasonably slight" to describe a minor difference or change that is still within acceptable parameters. For example: "The adjustments to the budget were "reasonably slight", so we approved the proposal."

What are some alternatives to "reasonably slight"?

Alternatives include "fairly insignificant", "somewhat minor", or "barely noticeable", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "reasonably slight" too vague for formal writing?

While "reasonably slight" is acceptable, consider using more precise language in formal writing to quantify the degree of difference. For example, instead of "reasonably slight increase", specify "a 2% increase" if possible.

When is it appropriate to use "reasonably slight" versus other similar phrases?

Use "reasonably slight" when you want to emphasize that something is both small and acceptable within a given context. Phrases like "barely noticeable" might highlight the smallness without addressing acceptability.