Minimal vs minimum

Both 'minimal' and 'minimum' are correct, but they are used in different contexts. 'Minimal' is an adjective used to describe something that is very small or slight, while 'minimum' is a noun or adjective used to refer to the smallest or lowest amount or degree of something.

Last updated: March 24, 2024 • 1251 views

The word 'minimal' is a correct adjective used to describe something that is very small or slight.

"Minimal"

Use 'minimal' when you want to describe something that is very small, slight, or insignificant.

Examples:

She made a minimal effort to help.
The room had a minimalistic design.
The impact on the environment was minimal.

Show examples from the web [+]

Minimal, considering what it could have been.
Minimal, maybe a little nausea, so take it with food.
Minimal contact with anyone for the first 6 months.
Minimal damage to decks five and seven.
Minimal operational criteria should be reinforced in accordance with the relevant design standards.
Minimal degree of similarity of the marks required
Eagles Earles Minimal Essential Medium with Hepes buffer and Lactalbumin hydrolysate
Minimal increases in QTc, not considered to be clinically relevant, were observed in one study at a dose of 800 mg sitagliptin.
Minimal systemic absorption of imiquimod 5% cream across the skin of 58 patients with actinic keratosis was observed with 3 times per week dosing for 16 weeks.
Minimal benefit of ritonavir-mediated pharmacokinetic enhancement is achieved with doses higher than 100 mg twice daily.
The use of routine methods should not be ruled out. Minimal conditions for using them should therefore be specified.
The EPA has recently reviewed our soil samples, and they determined that we achieved, and I quote, "Minimal acceptable standards."
That exposure was found to exceed the Derived Minimal Effect Levels (DMEL) [3] determined for benzo[a]pyrene, which was used as surrogate for the toxicity of the other PAHs.
The risk of further damage is minimal.
The risk is so minimal it almost non-existent.
Should be informed your minimal gestures.
There is minimal cytochrome P450 catalysed hepatic metabolism of thalidomide.
Therefore, pharmacological effects related to systemic exposure should be minimal.
Ideally, the intermediate concentration should produce minimal observable toxic effects.
And we detonate, with minimal fallout risk to the city.

Alternatives:

small
slight
negligible
bare minimum
scant

The word 'minimum' is a correct noun or adjective used to refer to the smallest or lowest amount or degree of something.

"minimum"

Use 'minimum' when referring to the smallest or lowest amount or degree of something.

Examples:

The minimum age for this ride is 12 years old.
Please pay the minimum amount due on your bill.
We need a minimum of five participants to start the workshop.

Show examples from the web [+]

Our sensors detect your shields at minimum.
IPP nameWithLanguage value less than minimum 4 bytes.
Chapter 7 presents the Eurosystem's minimum reserve system.
The minimum mandatory over-collateralisation is 8 %.
No minimum time frame is specified at European level.
Potassium hydroxide minimum titre 85 %.
Everything I did met the minimum code requirements.
Agent, I said keep communication to minimum.
Administrative procedures and formalities must be reduced to a minimum.
We therefore need a minimum framework of disincentives for redundancy.
The minimum age recommended for use is nine months.
Growing another creature would take 18 months minimum.
A minimum with exceptions is not a minimum.
minimum total soluble solids content, i.e. minimum sugar content,
2. Member States may fix minimum numbers of producers and minimum volumes of marketable production greater than those laid down in paragraph 1.
- Esrom 45+: minimum fat in dry matter 45 %, minimum dry matter 50 %.
Specifically, the minimum sugar content is 70 % and the minimum tartaric acid content 1,69 %.
The Directive only sets minimum standards.
Multiannual contracts: specific financial correction - failure to achieve minimum quantities.
Therefore a set of minimum standards on transparency should be promoted.

Alternatives:

smallest amount
lowest level
least possible
bottom line
threshold

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Minimal vs minimum

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