scant gains

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "scant gains" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe minimal or insufficient improvements or profits in a particular context, such as business or personal development. Example: "Despite the team's hard work, the project only yielded scant gains in productivity."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

But the comeback has been fitful amid scant gains in consumers' incomes and weak bank lending.

The New York Times

The economy has delivered scant gains for many middle-class and blue-collar workers over the past decade, and the Republican base now includes large numbers of these workers.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

These ad hoc salespeople belong to the still sizable number of Russians who have seen scant gain from 15 or 20 years of change.

The New York Times

But the ruling generals, with dismaying convolutions, have brought scant political gains or economic relief, questionable justice and a dangerous polarisation.

The Economist

Mr. Bush's second term posted a scant 1.1 percent gain in private-sector employment — a gain that was wiped out during the first two months of 2009.

The New York Times

The poor uptake was reflected in scant educational gain as measured in terms of any improvement in cognitive skills in multiple-choice tests.

BMC Medical Education

VENICE — Francesco Guardi's pictures gained scant attention during his lifetime and fetched pathetically low prices.

The New York Times - Arts

But such numbers, which run into the hundreds of thousands, gain scant attention.

The New York Times

Mr. Zuma, a rough-edged, unschooled and occasionally socialist populist whose scant education was gained in an apartheid prison, is as charismatic as Mr. Mbeki is cold.

The New York Times

But until they can be foreseen, any such therapy has scant chance of gaining regulatory approval.

Forbes

Put an S&P 500 stock fund in an annuity and you will be gaining scant deferral that you couldn't have had merely by buying and holding the SPDR 500 in your brokerage account.

Forbes

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing economic or performance results, use "scant gains" to downplay positive outcomes that are nearly negligible.

Common error

Avoid using "scant gains" when the context requires emphasizing growth or improvement, even if small. Choose more positive language if the goal is to highlight any progress.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "scant gains" functions as a noun phrase, where "scant" modifies "gains". It's used to describe a situation where the amount of progress or profit is minimal. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically sound and usable.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

67%

Science

17%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

16%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "scant gains" is a noun phrase used to describe minimal or insufficient progress, profits, or improvements. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability, although its frequency is rare, as it appears in only a few examples. Predominantly found in news and media contexts, it serves to express disappointment or downplay the significance of perceived progress. Alternatives like "minimal progress" or "limited benefits" can be used depending on the specific context. When using this phrase, it's essential to consider the impact you intend to convey and avoid overstating any potential growth. In summary, "scant gains" is best reserved for situations where you wish to highlight the limited nature of positive outcomes.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

minimal progress

Focuses on the limited nature of the advancement made.

limited benefits

Emphasizes the restricted advantages or positive outcomes.

meager profits

Highlights the low amount of financial return.

slight improvements

Underscores the small degree of betterment achieved.

marginal advancements

Points out the barely noticeable progress.

insignificant increases

Indicates the unimportance or triviality of the growth.

negligible yield

Stresses the almost nonexistent output or return.

small returns

Highlights the modest amount of financial or other gains.

modest gains

Emphasizes the moderate or humble degree of progress.

limited success

Focuses on the constrained or restricted achievement.

FAQs

How to use "scant gains" in a sentence?

You can use "scant gains" to describe situations where there has been minimal or insufficient improvement. For example, "Despite the new marketing strategy, the company experienced "scant gains" in revenue."

What can I say instead of "scant gains"?

You can use alternatives like "minimal progress", "limited benefits", or "meager profits" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "scant gains" or "scarce gains"?

"Scant gains" is the more common and appropriate phrase to describe a small amount of increase or benefit. "Scarce gains" is less frequently used but could refer to gains that are difficult to obtain.

What's the difference between "scant gains" and "marginal gains"?

"Scant gains" emphasizes the smallness or insufficiency of the gains, whereas "marginal gains" focuses on the incremental and often barely noticeable improvements. Marginal gains are part of the marginal gain theory.