trivial work

USAGE SUMMARY

"trivial work" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when referring to tasks that are considered to be unimportant or insignificant. Example sentence: I was asked to do some trivial work around the office while the others were given more complex tasks.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

Great British film-makers such as Lindsay Anderson, Nic Roeg and Ken Russell are represented by relatively trivial work: This Sporting Life, Bad Timing, The Rainbow.

The Guardian - Film

Further sources could be added with trivial work.

Journal of Cloud Computing

Maybe in theory it is not difficult, however, the concrete study shows that it, indeed, is not a trivial work to construct the different-order perturbation solutions and even give the general formulae.

Mathematical Sciences

Writer and director Dylan Haggerty nails this low-budget film by juxtaposing the monotony of trivial work against an exotic locale.

Vice

Such images may contain hundreds of cells and manually counting the number of them is not a trivial work.

BioMed Research International

Whenever a new β-lactamase will be added to the database, all the programs would have to be rerun to accommodate the new entry, which is not a trivial work.

Database : the journal of biological databases and curation

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

There I was, my trivial works captured for the ages.

The New Yorker

"He made me feel like I was part of a movement of my time, not an irrelevant practitioner grinding out trivial works for yet another bureaucratic corporation".

The New York Times

With a bit more (totally hard and not at-all-trivial) work, it's easy to imagine a system like this being used in live entertainment.

TechCrunch

These organization do not handle complaints that seem trivial; their work is based on the assumption that the problem is serious enough to merit recompense from the company -- cash, a voucher or frequent-flier miles.

The New York Times - Travel

But as his reputation at the paper spread, he was given more and more trivial, gossipy work.The stress took its toll, and by the end, when the police finally came knocking, he was, he says, relieved that it was all over.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the importance of a task, be direct and avoid using vague terms like "trivial work". Instead, clearly state why the task is significant or how it contributes to the overall goal.

Common error

While "trivial work" is acceptable, overuse in formal writing can make your tone seem dismissive or condescending. Consider using more nuanced alternatives like "routine tasks" or "less complex assignments" to maintain a professional tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "trivial work" functions as a noun phrase where the adjective "trivial" modifies the noun "work". As noted by Ludwig, the phrase is usable in written English and describes tasks of little importance.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

30%

Science

25%

Academia

20%

Less common in

Wiki

15%

Encyclopedias

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "trivial work" is a grammatically sound and commonly understood expression used to describe tasks of little importance or significance. According to Ludwig, it is perfectly acceptable in written English, although its usage should be carefully considered in formal contexts to avoid sounding dismissive. While alternative phrases like "insignificant task" or "minor assignment" can provide more nuance, understanding the context is crucial for effective communication. The phrase appears across diverse sources, including news outlets, scientific journals, and academic publications, highlighting its versatility. Ensure a balance of tasks to prevent employee dissatisfaction when delegating work.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

insignificant task

Emphasizes the lack of importance of the work.

minor assignment

Highlights the small scale and limited impact of the task.

unimportant chore

Focuses on the routine and negligible nature of the work.

meaningless labor

Stresses the lack of purpose or value in the work.

routine duty

Highlights the ordinary and repetitive aspect of the work.

negligible task

Focuses on the very small impact and effort of the work.

inconsequential activity

Highlights the lack of significant results from the work.

petty task

Focuses on the small-minded or narrow focus of the work.

worthless endeavor

Emphasizes the lack of value or benefit derived from the work.

pointless exercise

Highlights the futility and lack of meaningful outcome from the work.

FAQs

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

You can use "trivial work" to describe tasks that are unimportant or easy. For example: "He was stuck doing "trivial work" all day."

What's a good alternative to "trivial work"?

Some alternatives to "trivial work" include "insignificant task", "minor assignment", or "unimportant chore", depending on the context.

Is it okay to use "trivial work" in a formal setting?

While grammatically correct, using "trivial work" in formal writing can sound dismissive. Consider using more neutral terms such as "routine tasks" or "basic duties".

What's the difference between "trivial work" and "routine work"?

"Trivial work" implies the task is not only routine but also lacks importance. "Routine work", on the other hand, simply means the task is part of a regular process, without necessarily being unimportant.