trivial items

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "trivial items" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to refer to things that are insignificant or of little importance in a given context. Example: "During the meeting, we spent too much time discussing trivial items instead of focusing on the main agenda."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

10 human-written examples

(3) It requires an immense amount of development on apparently trivial items.

The Economist

"Today, people view their collectibles quite differently -- as if everything, even the most trivial items, would be as valuable as diamonds someday".

The New York Times - Arts

The expenses scandal of that year sparked outrage as some politicians claimed for trivial items and played the system to get taxpayer cash for furnishing two homes.

The Guardian

He stole trivial items he did not need and his behavior became so brazen he was forced to resign from the police force.

The Guardian - Opinion

It was a mundane but unavoidable list of a dozen or so trivial items that ranged from a dog identification tag (imprinted with our new address) to shower curtain rings.

The New York Times - Tech

Among the small, trivial items: a few dollars for Bill for new transmission for his Chevy (he once gave the writer a 30-mile tow); $1,000 for the National Endowment for the Arts earmarked for a struggling young country fiddler.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

This wedding, for years an anomalous and trivial item of personal recollection, now strikes one as the stuff of historic testimony.

The New Yorker

George's joke: If Ed Miliband's King John… In money terms, the most trivial item in George Osborne's Budget speech was his promise of a grant to the Magna Carta Trust towards the 800th anniversary next year.

Independent

Besides being a handy catchall for the day's top headlines, the Crawl is attractive to news directors in that it enables them to dispense with an occasional trivial item -- information that would seem jarring or silly if spoken aloud in the midst of weighty war events.

The New York Times - Magazine

Similarly, the low correlations between the AIDA subscale "Incoherence-autonomy vs. over-identification" and the temperament factor Reward Dependence / social responsiveness (−.01) and the character factor Cooperativeness (.00) may speak for the successful attempt to avoid trivial item overlap between alternative constructs in general and an overlap with sociability in particular.

Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Mental Health

We only consider non-trivial items in (mathcal{A}^{{F}}equiv left{ {{a}in mathcal{A}:hbox {supp}({ {{a} } }) ge s_0} right} ).

Vietnam Journal of Computer Science

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "trivial items", ensure the context clearly establishes their lack of importance to avoid confusion or misinterpretation.

Common error

Avoid dwelling too long on "trivial items" in writing, as it can distract readers from more significant points. Briefly mention them and move on.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "trivial items" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "trivial" modifies the noun "items". It describes objects or matters that are of little significance or importance. Ludwig shows various examples where the phrase is used to dismiss or downplay the relevance of certain things.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

73%

Science

21%

Formal & Business

6%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "trivial items" is a grammatically sound and commonly used phrase to denote objects or matters of little importance. Ludwig AI confirms its usability across various contexts, particularly in News & Media and Science. While alternatives exist, such as "insignificant objects" or "minor things", the phrase is well-established and generally neutral in tone. When employing this phrase, ensure the context clearly signals the lack of importance to prevent misinterpretation and avoid dwelling on these items excessively in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

insignificant objects

Replaces "trivial" with "insignificant" and "items" with "objects", maintaining the meaning.

minor things

Uses simpler words to express the same idea of unimportance.

petty matters

"Petty" suggests small-mindedness or unimportance, and "matters" implies issues or things.

trifling details

"Trifling" emphasizes the lack of significance, and "details" focuses on specific aspects.

inconsequential details

Uses more formal vocabulary to convey the lack of importance.

unimportant articles

Substitutes "trivial" with "unimportant" and "items" with "articles", which is a more formal term.

negligible components

Emphasizes that the items are so small they can be ignored.

worthless possessions

Indicates that the items have no value or use.

pointless objects

Highlights the lack of purpose or meaning of the items.

irrelevant elements

Focuses on the lack of connection or importance to the overall context.

FAQs

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

You can use "trivial items" to describe things that are not important. For example, "The meeting was unproductive because we spent too much time discussing "trivial items"."

What's another way to say "trivial items"?

Alternatives to "trivial items" include "insignificant objects", "minor things", or "petty matters". The best choice depends on the specific context.

Is it appropriate to use "trivial items" in formal writing?

While "trivial items" is acceptable, more formal alternatives like "inconsequential details" might be preferred in academic or professional contexts.

What makes something a "trivial item"?

A "trivial item" is something that lacks significance or importance in a particular situation. Its value or impact is minimal.