trivial suggestion

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "trivial suggestion" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a recommendation or idea that is considered insignificant or of little importance. Example: "While I appreciate your input, I must say that your proposal is merely a trivial suggestion and does not address the core issues we are facing."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

If no such objects or impressions are to be found, then one must conclude that such ideas are the product of "passions and emotions" (1.1.6.1), a "trivial suggestion of the fancy" (1.4.7.6), or "some imperfection in [the] faculties [of mind]" (1.1.7.8).

SEP

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

It may seem trivial to ask for suggestions for a snappy media moniker, but then again if you post a comment so brilliant that everyone notices, then perhaps the mainstream media will decide to run with it, who knows?

Huffington Post

Some of his fibs were trivial but telling, like his suggestion that President Obama is responsible for a closed auto plant in his hometown, even though the plant closed before Mr. Obama took office.

The New York Times

Though the show points out the analogies we might make between the Reys' adventures and Curious George's, ultimately, of course, those suggestions are fairly trivial.

The New York Times - Arts

And Dr Gordon, at least, thinks Watson's suggestion is a winner.Devising new recipes sounds a trivial use for a multimillion-dollar piece of kit.

The Economist

So far, the PolitiFact assessments of This Week -- which started on April 11, thanks to a suggestion from New York University professor Jay Rosen--have focused on relatively trivial matters.

Huffington Post

Boehner said at AEI that the House should spend less time on trivial resolutions naming post offices and congratulating sports teams, a suggestion that aides expect to be carried out as much as possible.

Huffington Post

She is equally baffled by other columnists' suggestion that feminists shouldn't care about something so trivial when they have more serious things like female genital mutilation to worry about.

The Guardian

Suggestions are made for more family based support work and for gang mediation to intervene in trivial disputes that could potentially escalate.

Vice

Hardly trivial.

The Guardian - Opinion

Some doubts seem trivial.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "trivial suggestion" when you want to politely dismiss an idea as unimportant or irrelevant without being overly critical.

Common error

Avoid using "trivial suggestion" in contexts where a more direct or constructive critique is expected. Overusing it can come across as dismissive or condescending, undermining your credibility.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "trivial suggestion" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "trivial" modifies the noun "suggestion". Ludwig's examples show it is used to discount or minimize the value of an idea or piece of advice.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

42%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

5%

Wiki

2%

Social Media

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "trivial suggestion" is a grammatically correct phrase used to describe an idea or recommendation that is considered unimportant or insignificant. As Ludwig AI explains, it is most frequently found in News & Media and Science contexts. While its use is acceptable, it's important to consider the tone and avoid overusing it in formal settings to prevent sounding dismissive. Alternative phrases like "insignificant recommendation" or "minor proposal" can be used depending on the desired nuance.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

insignificant recommendation

Replaces "trivial" with "insignificant" and "suggestion" with "recommendation", emphasizing the lack of importance.

minor proposal

Uses "minor" instead of "trivial" and "proposal" instead of "suggestion", highlighting the small scale of the idea.

unimportant idea

Substitutes "trivial" with "unimportant" and "suggestion" with "idea", directly stating the lack of significance.

negligible advice

Replaces "trivial" with "negligible" and "suggestion" with "advice", focusing on the minimal impact of the advice.

slight suggestion

Uses "slight" instead of "trivial", indicating the small degree of importance.

inconsequential recommendation

Replaces "trivial" with "inconsequential" and "suggestion" with "recommendation", emphasizing the lack of consequence.

petty suggestion

Substitutes "trivial" with "petty", suggesting the suggestion is small-minded or of little value.

worthless suggestion

Uses "worthless" to replace "trivial", indicating the suggestion has no value or merit.

frivolous idea

Replaces "trivial" with "frivolous" and "suggestion" with "idea", implying the idea is not serious or practical.

shallow recommendation

Substitutes "trivial" with "shallow" and "suggestion" with "recommendation", suggesting the recommendation lacks depth or insight.

FAQs

How to use "trivial suggestion" in a sentence?

You can use "trivial suggestion" to describe an idea or piece of advice that is not worth serious consideration. For instance, "While the intention was good, the proposal was merely a "trivial suggestion" that didn't address the core problem."

What can I say instead of "trivial suggestion"?

You can use alternatives like "insignificant recommendation", "minor proposal", or "unimportant idea" depending on the context.

Is "trivial suggestion" negative?

Yes, "trivial suggestion" generally carries a slightly negative connotation. It implies that the suggestion is not valuable or worth considering seriously. However, the tone can be softened by the context in which it's used.

When is it appropriate to use the phrase "trivial suggestion"?

It's appropriate to use "trivial suggestion" when you want to politely point out that an idea is not practical, important, or relevant to the discussion at hand. Be mindful of the context to avoid sounding overly dismissive.