there is a marginal difference

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "there is a marginal difference" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that the difference between two or more items is small or insignificant. Example: "After comparing the two products, I found that there is a marginal difference in their performance."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

There was a marginal difference in the magnitude of parameters but separation was not hampered.

Journal of Analytical Science and Technology

There was a marginal difference in rutin content in all the three materials.

Botanical Studies

There was a marginal difference in IGI between beverages (P = .097) with coffee having a lower incremental increase in insulin/glucose than water (P = .037) though no difference between coffee and decaffeinated coffee (P = .54) and no difference in DI (P = .23).23

Metabolism

There was a marginal difference between groups with respect to the total score (p = 0.05).

BMC Pediatrics

There was a marginal difference between the two groups (Fisher's Exact Probability, p =.052; two-tailed).

Behavioral Neuroscience

There was a marginal difference for recent immunisation against tetanus: 17% of relapsers had been immunised against tetanus within the previous 5 years compared with 26% of non-relapsers.

European Journal of Cancer

There was no significant difference in mortality among mono- and mixed cultures of WT and TPS10 plants (corrected p > 0.3), or of lox2/3 and lox2/3xTPS10 plants, although there was a marginal difference between lox2/3 monocultures and lox2/3 + lox2/3xTPS10 mixed cultures (corrected p = 0.091).

eLife

There may be a marginal difference in size compared to those here before, but "so what?

The Guardian - Travel

For pre-existing glaucoma patients, there was a marginal significant difference in the C/D ratio between NVG within 0.5 yr and non-NVG within 0.5 yr [0.78±0.17, (range: 0.4-0.9) vs. 0.70±0.16, median 0.75 (range: 0.4-0.9) using the Wilcoxon rank sum test (P=0.053)].

BMC Ophthalmology

There was a marginal but significant difference in age between the Engel classes.

BMJ Open

For the Scottish cohort of burn-injury patients (combined gender), there was a marginal but significant difference (SIR, 95% CI 1.09, 1.05 to 1.10) in the overall risk of cancer for persons with a burn injury hospitalisation for the period 1983 2008, compared with the general population of Scotland.

BMJ Open

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When comparing two options, use "there is a marginal difference" to acknowledge a difference exists, but it's not substantial enough to influence a decision significantly.

Common error

Avoid using "there is a marginal difference" when the actual difference is substantial. This can mislead your audience into thinking the distinction is unimportant when it actually matters.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "there is a marginal difference" functions as a comparative statement. It acknowledges the existence of a difference between two or more entities but emphasizes that this difference is small and potentially insignificant. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

33%

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "there is a marginal difference" serves to acknowledge a distinction while simultaneously minimizing its importance. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability across various contexts. While the phrase itself is versatile, it's crucial to ensure that the difference genuinely is marginal to avoid misleading the audience. Related phrases, like "there is a slight difference" or "there is a negligible difference", can provide alternative ways to express this concept. Although frequently observed in scientific and news-related publications, it remains appropriate for general use.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

there is a negligible difference

Replaces "marginal" with "negligible", emphasizing the insignificance of the difference.

there is a minimal difference

Substitutes "marginal" with "minimal", highlighting the very small degree of difference.

there is a slight difference

Uses "slight" instead of "marginal", indicating a small but potentially noticeable difference.

there is a small difference

Employs "small" in place of "marginal", conveying a similar meaning of limited distinction.

there is a modest difference

Replaces "marginal" with "modest", suggesting a moderate or limited difference.

there is a minor difference

Substitutes "marginal" with "minor", indicating a less important or significant difference.

the difference is barely perceptible

Shifts the focus to the perception of the difference, emphasizing its subtlety.

the distinction is hardly noticeable

Highlights the difficulty in noticing the difference, suggesting its insignificance.

the variation is insignificant

Focuses on the variation between the items, describing it as insignificant.

the gap is narrow

Uses a spatial metaphor to describe the small difference, emphasizing its limited extent.

FAQs

What does "there is a marginal difference" mean?

It means that while there's a difference between two things, the difference is so small that it's probably not important.

What can I say instead of "there is a marginal difference"?

You can use alternatives like "there is a slight difference", "there is a minimal difference", or "there is a negligible difference" depending on the context.

How do I use "there is a marginal difference" in a sentence?

Use it to compare two or more items when a difference exists, but the magnitude of that difference is small or insignificant. For example: "After rigorous testing, we found that there is a marginal difference in performance between the two models."

Is "there is a marginal difference" formal or informal?

The phrase is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. While it's not overly technical, it maintains a level of professional clarity that makes it appropriate across various registers.