trivial claim

USAGE SUMMARY

"trivial claim" is a correct and usable term in written English.
For example, you can use it to refer to a statement or argument that isn't necessarily important or relevant to the conversation. For example, "John made a trivial claim about the weather, but no one paid any attention."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

It is a relatively trivial claim that follows from physicalism.

SEP

It is important, here, to distinguish this claim from a more trivial claim which Skolem might be thought to be making.

SEP

Nor does it make the trivial claim that only those who have had a particular experience know what that experience is like.

SEP

This seemingly trivial claim suffers from another problem in any case since the idea that only women can know the experience of other women depends on a presupposition of some sameness of women's experience a presupposition that is blatantly false.

SEP

Unless we take the minority position on which this is a trivial claim, since whatever God does definitionally counts as good, this appears to be a significant, inner constraint on God's freedom.

SEP

If we translate sullogismos as "syllogism, ", this becomes the trivial claim "Every syllogism is a syllogism", Syllogisms are structures of sentences each of which can meaningfully be called true or false: assertions (apophanseis), in Aristotle's terminology.

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

We need to resolve the issue of the backlog of cases, discourage or disqualify trivial claims, and make sure that the judges elected are sufficiently experienced and qualified.

The Guardian - Opinion

Among other things, the Justice Ministry's briefing document said the bill would also strengthen protection for Web sites hosting user-generated content, as well as measures to curb trivial claims.

The New York Times

David Cameron has said the court risks becoming a glorified "small claims court" buried under a mountain of "trivial" claims, and suggested Britain could withdraw from the convention to "keep our country safe".

The Guardian

Mark H. Webbink, the deputy general counsel of Red Hat, a Linux and open-source distributor, said it was ridiculous for a software company to grab identical protection for work entailing relatively minuscule investment and trivial claims.

The New York Times

The bill "will reduce the potential for trivial claims and address the perception that our courts are an attractive forum for libel claimants with little connection to this country, so that our law is respected internationally," the Justice Ministry said in a briefing paper provided to journalists.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "trivial claim", ensure that you provide context to demonstrate why the claim is considered unimportant or self-evident, enhancing clarity and impact.

Common error

Avoid using "trivial claim" to dismiss genuinely complex or nuanced arguments, as this can undermine your credibility and appear dismissive.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "trivial claim" functions as an adjective-noun combination, where 'trivial' modifies 'claim' to indicate its insignificance or obviousness. Ludwig examples highlight how it's used to dismiss or downplay the importance of certain statements.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

41%

Formal & Business

9%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "trivial claim" is used to describe an assertion or statement considered insignificant or self-evident. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is grammatically sound and frequently appears in both scientific and news contexts. While straightforward, it's essential to use this phrase judiciously to avoid dismissing valid arguments or alienating your audience. Alternatives such as "insignificant assertion" or "unimportant statement" can offer similar meaning while maintaining clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

insignificant assertion

Focuses on the lack of importance of the claim.

minor assertion

Highlights the small impact or consequence of the claim.

unimportant statement

Emphasizes the lack of significance in the statement.

obvious remark

Highlights the self-evident nature of the claim.

self-evident proposition

Stresses the readily apparent truth of the proposition.

inconsequential argument

Focuses on the lack of impact or relevance of the argument.

petty argument

Highlights the smallness and unimportance of the argument.

meaningless statement

Emphasizes the lack of substance or purpose in the statement.

frivolous contention

Highlights the lack of seriousness or value in the contention.

pointless assertion

Focuses on the lack of purpose or reason behind the assertion.

FAQs

How can I use "trivial claim" in a sentence?

You can use "trivial claim" to describe a statement that is self-evident or lacks importance. For example, "His argument boiled down to a "trivial claim" about the weather."

What are some alternatives to saying "trivial claim"?

Alternatives include phrases like "insignificant assertion", "minor assertion", or "unimportant statement", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What makes a claim "trivial"?

A claim is considered "trivial" when it's easily verifiable, self-evident, lacks significant impact, or doesn't contribute meaningfully to the discussion.

Is it appropriate to label someone's argument as a "trivial claim"?

While accurate in some cases, labeling an argument as a "trivial claim" can be dismissive. It's important to provide context and explain why the claim is considered unimportant to avoid alienating your audience.