to a slight extent

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "to a slight extent" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate a small degree or level of something, often in discussions or analyses. Example: "The changes in the policy affected the employees to a slight extent, but overall, the impact was minimal."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

This usually increases the detection range at low angles to a slight extent.

Britannica

The objects of no other sense, such as taste or touch, have any resemblance to moral qualities; in visible objects there is only a little, for there are figures which are of a moral character, but only to a slight extent, and all do not participate in the feeling about them.

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Alternatively, the organism itself breaks down the Carbulat™ to a slight extent, and these particles are the products of the breakdown.

Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

As Pomponazzi puts it: "in us intellect and will are not truly immaterial but relatively and to a slight extent (secundum quid et deminute)", so that our "soul is essentially and truly mortal" and only "relatively immortal", by virtue of its imperfect participation in an activity which, properly speaking, is performed only by the Intelligences.

SEP

But is that true, really, if you think about them both even to a slight extent as human beings?

Huffington Post

These results were confirmed at the protein levels by Western-blot analyses which showed that VE-statin/egfl7 accumulation was impaired in cells treated with a siRNA targeting fli-1, erg, or, to a slight extent, GATA-2, but not those targeting GATA-4 or Ets-1 (Figure 9).

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

47 human-written examples

The effects of the human organism on the composition of the surface indicate that a slight extent of material transport occurs between the implant and the surrounding human tissues.

Maxillofacial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery

The densities covering d f=9 show the same tendency but to a much slighter extent, and when d f=14, this effect vanishes entirely.

Journal of Statistical Distributions and Applications

To whatever slight extent the overtime pay rules have any bite, they will probably do so at small firms struggling to stay afloat.

Forbes

Their toxicity to microbes has been ascribed to the formation of Zn2+ ions from zinc oxide when it is suspended in water and also to some extent to a slight change in pH.

Nanoscale Research Letters

Many investigations have suggested the effect of DAP on the fragmentation of lignin, usually leading to a slight delignification in biomass, the extent of which depends on the pretreatment severity [ 50– 50].

Biotechnology for Biofuels

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "to a slight extent", ensure the context clearly establishes what is being affected. This phrase works best when followed by a specific explanation of the limited impact.

Common error

Avoid using "to a slight extent" when the effect is actually significant. Overusing this phrase can undermine your credibility if the reader perceives the impact as more substantial than you're implying.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "to a slight extent" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating the degree or scope to which something is affected. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a grammatically correct and usable phrase.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

60%

News & Media

20%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "to a slight extent" is a grammatically sound adverbial phrase used to indicate a minimal impact or degree. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it’s usable in various contexts, particularly in science, news, and academia. While direct synonyms like "slightly" exist, "to a slight extent" provides a more descriptive and nuanced way to express a limited effect. When using this phrase, ensure that the context clearly supports and justifies the implication of a small impact to maintain accuracy and credibility.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

slightly

An adverb that conveys the same meaning as "to a slight extent" in a more concise way.

to a limited degree

Replaces "extent" with "degree", slightly altering the structure but maintaining the meaning of a small impact.

to a small degree

Substitutes "slight" with "small", offering a more common synonym for a minimal impact.

to a minor extent

Uses "minor" as a synonym for "slight", emphasizing the minimal impact or degree.

to a modest degree

Replaces "slight" with "modest", suggesting a restrained or humble impact.

to a marginal degree

Uses "marginal" instead of "slight", indicating an even smaller or less significant impact.

in a small measure

Employs a different structure using "measure" instead of "extent" or "degree", providing a more formal tone.

to a negligible extent

Uses "negligible" to emphasize that the impact is so small it's almost not worth considering.

to a certain degree

Replaces "slight extent" with "certain degree", implying a somewhat undefined but limited impact.

somewhat

A single-word adverb replacing the entire phrase for brevity, indicating a moderate effect.

FAQs

How can I rephrase "to a slight extent" to sound more formal?

Consider using phrases like "to a limited degree", "to a minor extent", or "to a negligible extent" to achieve a more formal tone.

What's the difference between "to a slight extent" and "to a certain extent"?

"To a slight extent" indicates a minimal impact, while "to a certain extent" suggests an undefined but noticeable impact. The former is more precise in conveying a small degree.

Is it appropriate to use "to a slight extent" in academic writing?

Yes, "to a slight extent" is appropriate for academic writing when you need to accurately describe a small or limited effect. Ensure that the context clearly supports the use of this phrase.

Can I use a single word instead of "to a slight extent"?

Yes, you can use adverbs like "slightly" or "somewhat" as concise alternatives to "to a slight extent", depending on the nuance you want to convey.