very minor

USAGE SUMMARY

"very minor" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it when talking about something that is insignificant, small, or unimportant. Example: The damage from the storm was very minor.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Very minor.

The Guardian - Opinion

Tom: Very minor things.

The New York Times

– but they were very minor.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

The tweaks are typically very minor.

The New York Times

Julien said: "It was very minor.

The New York Times - Sports

Very minor celebrities, but well-positioned ones.

The New York Times - Books

"Very, very minor," Colonel Lauben replied.

The New York Times - Books

I mentioned some very minor political contributions.

The New York Times

Oh, I played a very minor role.

The Guardian - Books

It proved a very minor glitch.

The Guardian

The ohmic components of Rint played a very minor role.

Electrochimica Acta

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "very minor", ensure the context clearly reflects the low degree of impact or significance you intend to convey. Avoid using it to downplay potentially serious issues.

Common error

Avoid using "very minor" when describing issues that could escalate or have long-term consequences. Always assess the true impact before characterizing something as minimally important.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "very minor" functions as a pre-modifying adjective phrase, intensifying the adjective "minor" to describe the degree or extent of something. Ludwig examples illustrate its usage across diverse contexts, reinforcing its role in qualifying nouns.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

57%

Science

21%

Encyclopedias

7%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Wiki

3%

Formal & Business

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "very minor" is a commonly used adjective phrase to describe something as being insignificant or small. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage in written English. It is grammatically sound and appropriate across diverse contexts, particularly in news, science, and encyclopedic content. While "very minor" is generally safe to use, it's important to ensure the context accurately reflects the low degree of impact you intend to convey, avoiding the downplaying of potentially serious issues. Consider alternatives like "extremely slight" or "hardly significant" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

extremely slight

Replaces "minor" with "slight" and "very" with "extremely", emphasizing the minimal nature.

minimally important

Directly states the low level of importance.

almost negligible

Suggests the impact or size is so small it can be ignored.

hardly significant

Shifts from describing size to indicating a lack of importance.

of little consequence

Emphasizes the lack of importance or impact.

mildly trivial

Replaces "minor" with "trivial", suggesting insignificance, and "very" with "mildly".

insignificantly small

Combines both insignificance and small size.

relatively small

Uses a comparative term to indicate reduced size or impact.

scarcely noticeable

Highlights the difficulty in perceiving or detecting something.

barely perceptible

Emphasizes the near-impossibility of perceiving something.

FAQs

How can I use "very minor" in a sentence?

Use "very minor" to describe something of little significance or impact, such as "The car sustained "very minor" damage in the accident".

What are some alternatives to "very minor"?

You can use alternatives such as "extremely slight", "hardly significant", or "of little consequence" depending on the context.

Is it appropriate to use "very minor" in formal writing?

Yes, "very minor" is suitable for formal writing when you need to accurately describe something as having minimal importance or impact. However, consider more precise alternatives if available.

What's the difference between "very minor" and "minor"?

"Very minor" emphasizes an even smaller degree of impact or significance compared to just "minor". Use "very minor" when you want to explicitly highlight the insignificance of something.