slight refinement

USAGE SUMMARY

"slight refinement" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It can be used when describing a small improvement or adjustment to something. Example: After receiving feedback from the test audience, the director made a slight refinement to the ending of the movie to make it more satisfying for the viewers.

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Oh, well, another tweak here and there, perhaps a different batch of cream, a slight refinement to the starter.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

I lay out a slight refinement of Shoham et al.'s taxonomy of agendas that I consider sensible for multiagent learning (MAL) research.

Artificial Intelligence

The model proposed by Poutsma et al. (2008) has proved to be a good predictor of the expanding distribution of H. axyridis in Europe (Brown et al., 2011b), but the parameters used may need slight refinement to include observations on distribution from the UK Ladybird Survey.

Ecological Entomology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

These abilities sound almost like superpowers, but they're no more than slight refinements of technologies that are in use right now.

Huffington Post

As we saw in §3, it is not straightforward to confirm when we have a model serving as a good explanation because, for instance, the slightest refinement of initial conditions can lead to wildly differing behavior.

SEP

Gordon knows the slightest refinements can make the difference between victory and defeat at the summer Olympics.

Los Angeles Times

The ligand-binding refinement leads to a slight increase in the binding site of model 1 and a slight decrease in that of model 2, resulting in similar sizes and residue arrangements of refined binding site.

Nature

An addition of silver induced pronounced Mo2N crystallite size refinement accompanied by the slight hardness increase with the maximum at 2.5 at.% of Ag content.

Surface and Coatings Technology

Further data assessment by means of Rietveld refinement allowed detection of a slight c lattice parameter and volume increase related to incorporation of the doping elements.

Nanoscale Research Letters

By comparison, for an Al80Cu10Ge10 alloy with a slight composition difference, a hardness drop and a limited refinement hardening effect are observed due to the early formation of primary (Al) dendrite.

Acta Materialia

Microscopy indicated slight grain coarsening within the AZ31B substrate occurred simultaneously with refinement of the AA7075 coating, along with significant hardness improvements of ~ 80%and30%0% respectively for each region in terms of Vickers hardness after FSP.

Surface and Coatings Technology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "slight refinement" when you want to emphasize a small but important change that improves something without fundamentally altering it. It's ideal for describing improvements to existing processes, designs, or ideas.

Common error

Avoid using "slight refinement" when the changes are substantial or transformative. This phrase is specifically for minor improvements; using it for significant overhauls misrepresents the scale of the changes.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "slight refinement" functions as a noun phrase, where "slight" modifies the noun "refinement". It's used to describe a small or subtle improvement to something, as confirmed by Ludwig's examples.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "slight refinement" is a noun phrase used to describe a minor improvement or adjustment. Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct, though relatively rare in usage. It appears across various contexts, including science, news, and formal communication, suggesting a neutral register. When writing, it's best used when emphasizing a small but meaningful change, avoiding its use when the changes are substantial. Alternatives include "minor adjustment" or "small improvement", offering writers flexibility in their expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

minor adjustment

Replaces both words with synonyms that emphasize the small scale of the change.

small improvement

Uses a more general term for refinement, focusing on the positive outcome.

subtle modification

Highlights the delicate and understated nature of the change.

marginal correction

Emphasizes the correction aspect, suggesting that the refinement addresses a flaw.

modest enhancement

Focuses on the enhancement aspect, indicating a positive but not dramatic change.

gentle tweaking

Uses more informal language to convey a sense of careful and delicate adjustment.

minimal alteration

Highlights that the change made is really small.

fine tuning

Implies precise and careful adjustment to achieve optimal performance.

small calibration

Suggests adjusting something for a specific requirement.

limited refinement

Emphasizes the boundary or degree of the changes.

FAQs

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

You can use "slight refinement" to describe a minor improvement or adjustment made to something. For example, "The software update included a "slight refinement" to the user interface."

What can I say instead of "slight refinement"?

You can use alternatives like "minor adjustment", "small improvement", or "subtle modification" depending on the context.

Is there a difference between "slight refinement" and "significant improvement"?

Yes, "slight refinement" implies a small, subtle change, while "significant improvement" suggests a more substantial and noticeable enhancement. The choice depends on the magnitude of the change you're describing.

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

Use "slight refinement" when the change is minimal but adds value. If the change is more about correcting an error, "marginal correction" might be more fitting. If it enhances something already good, "modest enhancement" could be a better choice.