minimal
very small in amount or degree
Very small in amount or level; almost nothing.
a minimal [amount] of [something]
- The side effects of the medicine were minimal.
- Thanks to the quick repairs, traffic disruption was minimal.
- We did the project with minimal damage to the existing system.
- Light pollution here is minimal, so you can see the stars clearly.
- The changes to the schedule are minimal and easy to follow.
- The cost was minimal, so we bought it.
- There was minimal noise from the street.
- The storm caused minimal damage to the house.
- He passed the test with only minimal effort.
- The delay was minimal, just a few minutes.
smallest level allowed or required
Being the smallest level that is allowed or needed.
the minimal [requirements/standards] for [something]
- Applicants must meet the minimal requirements listed on the website.
- The company pays only the minimal fee required by law.
- Students need a minimal level of English to join the course.
- The contract offers only minimal protection to consumers.
- We provide the minimal amount of data necessary to complete the process.
- You must have a minimal level of experience for this job.
- The school sets minimal rules for dress.
- He did the minimal work needed to pass.
- They charge the minimal price allowed by the city.
- This plan gives you the minimal amount of support.
using very few simple elements
Simple and clean in style, with very few things or details.
a minimal [design/style/decor]
- The apartment has a minimal design with white walls and only a few pieces of furniture.
- I prefer a minimal user interface without too many buttons.
- Her presentation slides were minimal, with lots of white space and only key words.
- The restaurant’s interior is minimal but very stylish.
- He lives a minimal lifestyle and owns very few things.
- The room has a minimal style with only a bed and a table.
- I like websites that have a minimal look.
- She wears minimal makeup every day.
- The logo is very minimal but easy to remember.
- They chose a minimal design for the office.
smallest value meeting a condition
In math, science, or computing, being the smallest thing that meets a rule or condition.
a minimal [structure/value] in [field]
- We computed a minimal spanning tree for the network.
- The algorithm searches for a minimal set of features that still predicts the outcome.
- In this model, any minimal solution is also unique.
- The shape of a soap film can be described as a minimal surface.
- They proved that the group has a unique minimal normal subgroup.
- The program finds a minimal path between two points.
- In this class we study minimal surfaces in geometry.
- The scientist looks for a minimal set of rules to explain the data.
- The graph has more than one minimal solution.
- We need a minimal value that still makes the formula true.
- Base: minimal
at minimal cost
1for very little money
Doing or getting something while paying only a very small amount of money.
- The service helps small businesses grow at minimal cost.
- We upgraded the system at minimal cost by using open-source tools.
- They offer training at minimal cost to new employees.
in minimal detail
1with very few details
Explaining or describing something using only a small number of details.
- The report describes the incident only in minimal detail.
- For now, we can discuss the plan in minimal detail.
- The guide explains the process in minimal detail, just enough to get started.
to a minimal degree
1only to a very small extent
Happening or being true, but only in a very small or slight way.
- The medication affected his blood pressure only to a minimal degree.
- Climate conditions varied from year to year only to a minimal degree.
- The policy changes the current system only to a minimal degree.
with minimal effort
1using very little effort
Doing something while using only a very small amount of effort.
- You can keep the room clean with minimal effort if you tidy a little every day.
- The app lets you create a website with minimal effort.
- We finished the task with minimal effort thanks to good planning.
with minimal risk
1with very little risk
Doing something in a way that makes it very unlikely that something bad will happen.
- This treatment allows patients to return to work with minimal risk.
- We want to invest the money with minimal risk.
- The new safety rules let staff enter the area with minimal risk.