trivial

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'trivial' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe something that is not important or significant. For example: "The problem seemed trivial at first, but it ended up being much more complicated than expected."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

These costs aren't trivial: a 2001 study showed that the cost of switching a loan came to about a third of the loan's annual interest rate.

The Economist

Journalists – especially wire reporters – rarely comment on this, precisely because it is trivial.

The Guardian - Opinion

The scale of the alleged corruption, revealed by parliamentary inquiries, court cases, secret police files and whistleblowers, is such as to make David Cameron's alleged suppers-for-sale predicament look trivial.

The Guardian

Interestingly, the word that provincial voters have most frequently been using to describe the elections so far is "trivial".

The Guardian

The committee calls for a "yellow card" approach whereby claimants who breach rules for trivial or unintended infringements receive "pre-sanction written warnings" rather than having payments stopped.

The Guardian

Although trivial, I believe my experience clearly illustrates how financial organisations like NatWest have exploited the hard-working, responsible earner; abused the trust that was placed in them; creamed off the handsome profits that came as a result of their irresponsible lending; and now try to make themselves out to be "responsible" at the expense of the people who have fed them.

The Guardian - Money

Yes, a trivial matter in the grand scheme, but the kind of counter-point which can be found at every turn in this never-ending debate regarding officialdom.

The Guardian - Sport

From huge issues, such as the atmosphere around the loss of a major client, to trivial incidents, such as spats between art directors and copywriters, creative contempt for account people – and for everything to do with McCann Erickson – or petty jealousies in creative reviews: everything is spot on.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Abstract a few more functions and it's trivial to take this simple idea and apply it to whatever JSON structure you feel like.

The Guardian

"It was so trivial I can't even remember.

The Guardian - Sport

While Grace concedes some will see the issue as "trivial compared with Libya or housing", he is adamant that it matters: "I attend conference because Yeovil Liberal Democrats elect me, not because the police allow me to.

The Guardian - Opinion

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "trivial", consider whether a more specific synonym might better convey the nuance you intend, such as "insignificant" or "minor".

Common error

Avoid using "trivial" excessively, as it can diminish the perceived importance of your message. If everything is "trivial", nothing seems worth addressing. Use it sparingly for maximum impact.

Linguistic Context

The word "trivial" functions primarily as an adjective, modifying nouns to indicate a lack of significance or importance. It commonly describes matters, issues, or details that are considered negligible or unworthy of serious attention. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The word "trivial" functions as an adjective used to describe something of little importance or significance. As Ludwig AI indicates, it is grammatically sound and commonly used in written English. Its most frequent context is in News & Media, followed by Formal & Business and Science, suggesting its broad applicability. While there are several synonyms like "insignificant", "minor", and "negligible", "trivial" is a versatile choice for indicating a lack of importance, though it should be used judiciously to avoid undermining the significance of your overall message.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

insignificant

Emphasizes the lack of importance or impact.

minor

Indicates something small in scale or consequence.

negligible

Stresses the unimportance to the point of being ignorable.

petty

Highlights the small-mindedness or narrow focus of something unimportant.

inconsequential

Focuses on the lack of results or effects.

unimportant

A direct synonym indicating a lack of significance.

trifling

Suggests something so small it's almost not worth considering.

paltry

Emphasizes the meagerness or insufficiency of something.

frivolous

Highlights the lack of seriousness or purpose.

insignificant detail

Refers to a specific detail that carries no importance

FAQs

How to use "trivial" in a sentence?

You can use "trivial" to describe something that is not important or significant. For example, "The problem seemed "trivial" at first, but it ended up being much more complicated than expected."

What can I say instead of "trivial"?

You can use alternatives like "insignificant", "minor", or "negligible" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "trivial" or "nontrivial"?

"Trivial" means of little importance, while "nontrivial" means significant or important. The correct choice depends on the meaning you intend to convey.

What's the difference between "trivial" and "immaterial"?

"Trivial" generally refers to something unimportant in terms of consequence or impact. "Immaterial" suggests something irrelevant or not pertinent to the matter at hand. They both describe things of low significance, but in slightly different ways.