relatively little

USAGE SUMMARY

"relatively little" is correct and can be used in written English.
You might use it to compare two amounts, for example, "The company has grown relatively little in the past decade."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Today, relatively little does.

The New York Times

There is also relatively little fresh produce.

The New York Times

Relatively little is known about centromeres.

The Economist

Asian markets were relatively little changed.

The New York Times

Relatively little is known about unstimulated saliva.

The New York Times - Health

The day ended with relatively little pomp.

The New York Times

Relatively little was said about climate.

The New York Times - Science

"There was relatively little personal motivation".

The New York Times

Knowledge-intensive industries require relatively little capital.

The Economist

We know relatively little about their lives.

Stanford University

However, relatively little validation has been performed.

Process Safety and Environmental Protection

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "relatively little", ensure the context clearly defines what the comparison is being made to. This adds clarity and prevents ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "relatively little" in simple sentences where "little" or "not much" suffices. Overusing the phrase can make your writing sound stilted or unnecessarily complex.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "relatively little" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifically an adverb of degree, modifying adjectives or verbs. It indicates a quantity or extent that is small in comparison to something else, suggesting a limited impact or amount. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

35%

Academia

21%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Encyclopedias

2%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "relatively little" is a grammatically sound and very common phrase used to indicate that something is less significant or smaller in quantity compared to something else. Its usage spans various contexts, from news and media to scientific and academic writing, as confirmed by Ludwig. While straightforward, it’s important to ensure the comparison is clear to avoid ambiguity. Alternatives such as "comparatively small" or "somewhat limited" can offer similar meanings with slightly different emphasis. Overall, using "relatively little" effectively involves understanding its comparative nature and ensuring clarity in the context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Comparatively small amount

Emphasizes the comparison to something else, highlighting the small quantity.

Marginally insignificant

Highlights the near insignificance of the quantity or impact.

Somewhat limited

Focuses on the restriction or limitation of something.

Slightly insufficient

Emphasizes the inadequacy of the amount.

Reasonably minimal

Highlights the minimization or reduction of something.

Moderately trivial

Suggests the unimportance of the amount or issue.

Barely adequate

Highlights the barely sufficient nature of the quantity.

Hardly any

Informal way to express a very small quantity.

Not much

Simple and direct way to express a small quantity.

A modicum of

More formal way to indicate a small or moderate amount.

FAQs

How can I use "relatively little" in a sentence?

Use "relatively little" to indicate a smaller amount or degree compared to something else. For instance, "The new policy changed "relatively little" in the daily operations of the company."

What's the difference between "relatively little" and "a little"?

"Relatively little" implies a comparison to something else, while "a little" simply indicates a small amount. For example, "He spent "relatively little" time on the project compared to his colleague", versus "He spent "a little" time on the project".

What are some alternatives to "relatively little"?

You can use alternatives such as "comparatively small", "somewhat limited", or "marginally insignificant" depending on the context.

Is it always necessary to use "relatively little", or can I just say "little"?

If the comparison is not important or implied, "little" may be sufficient. However, "relatively little" is useful when you want to explicitly highlight the comparative aspect.