slight success

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "slight success" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where there has been a small or modest achievement or positive outcome. Example: "Despite the challenges we faced, we achieved a slight success in our marketing campaign, which encouraged us to keep pushing forward."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

They had slight success until the Communist students helped them.

The New Yorker

They also tried to synthesize the larger diamondoids from scratch, with only slight success.

The New York Times - Science

The expectation of slight success becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy, as discussed in the concept of perceived self-efficacy [ 73].

BMC Psychiatry

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

Schmerz takes each student's screenplay as a personal slight; every success that isn't his own is salt in the open wound of his failing career.

The Guardian - Film

The film opened out the material, as was to be expected, but the play remained a solo venture that defied the odds – at the time, many Broadway folk thought the material too slight for success – and won a Tony for Collins, who at the time was best-known Stateside for her part as the maid, Sarah, in Upstairs Downstairs.

The Guardian

As Jeff Olson writes in his game-changing book, The Slight Edge, success is made up of the tiny consistent actions that are easy to take, but also easy not to take.

Huffington Post

Stop dwelling on regular-season slights because success in the playoffs is the ultimate way to demand respect.

The New York Times - Sports

"As a doctor," he said, "the easiest part is to fight for the life of a patient when you have the full understanding of the family, and they would like you to fight, even if there is a slight percentage of success".

The New York Times - Health

There are some high-profile MS benefactors out there as well, although there may be only a slight possibility of success!

Science Magazine

Without Washington's wholehearted support, no such effort stood the slightest chance of success, chiefly because what was necessary for a viable American nation-state was at odds with what the American Revolution claimed to stand for.

The New Yorker

He wired to Washington that "armed citizens fire into the trains, cut the telegraph wires, attack the guards of bridges, cut off and destroy my couriers, while guerrilla bands of cavalry attack whenever there is the slightest chance of success".

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "slight success", quantify or qualify the success to provide context and prevent misinterpretation. For example, specify in what area or to what extent the success was achieved.

Common error

Avoid using "slight success" to describe situations where the outcome was negligible or insignificant. Instead, use terms that accurately reflect the lack of substantial progress.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "slight success" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "slight" modifies the noun "success". The phrase indicates a limited or modest degree of achievement. Ludwig confirms that the phrase is usable and generally correct in English.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Science

30%

Encyclopedias

10%

Less common in

Wiki

7%

Formal & Business

7%

Social Media

6%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "slight success" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe a limited or modest achievement. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and usability in English. While relatively uncommon, it appears across diverse contexts like News & Media and Science. When using "slight success", clarity can be enhanced by providing specifics to what caused a limited progress, and context around the success. Remember to avoid overstating an outcome with this phrase when the reality is that there was no meaningful change. You can consider synonyms such as "modest achievement", or "limited progress" to provide alternative phrasing for more precise meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

modest achievement

Replaces "success" with a more specific noun, emphasizing the achievement aspect.

limited progress

Focuses on the progress made, highlighting its constrained nature.

partial victory

Emphasizes the victory aspect but indicates it's not complete.

minor triumph

Similar to partial victory, but uses 'triumph' for a more celebratory tone.

small accomplishment

Uses "accomplishment" to specify the type of success and "small" to quantify it.

marginal gain

Highlights the gain or benefit, describing it as marginal.

some headway

Indicates forward movement, though not necessarily a complete success.

a degree of success

Expresses that there was some success without emphasizing the limits.

limited breakthrough

Highlights the sudden instance/occurence of progress (breakthrough) while still remaining relatively limited.

qualified success

Emphasizes that the degree of success is not absolute or unqualified, but there are conditions that limit it.

FAQs

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

You can use "slight success" to describe situations where there has been a small or modest achievement, such as, "Despite the challenges, the project achieved a "slight success" in reducing costs."

What are some alternatives to "slight success"?

Alternatives include "modest achievement", "limited progress", or "partial victory" depending on the specific context.

Is it better to say "slight success" or "minor success"?

Both "slight success" and "minor success" are acceptable. The choice depends on nuance; "slight" emphasizes a small degree, while "minor" emphasizes the reduced importance.

Can "slight success" be used in formal writing?

Yes, "slight success" is appropriate for formal writing, particularly when accurately reflecting a modest positive outcome. However, consider more precise language if available. For example, "a degree of success" may be a more nuanced selection.