negligible
gb/nˈɛɡlɪd͡ʒəbəl/ us/nˈɛɡlɪd͡ʒəbəl/
C1
English
Senses
0 senses
adjective
formal
C1
property
1
too small to matter
So small that it does not matter.
Usage pattern:
[an amount/impact/difference/risk] is negligible
Common mistake:
Do not confuse negligible (very small) with negligent (careless) or neglectful (not giving enough care).
Synonyms
minimal (Often suggests the smallest possible amount rather than simply unimportant.)
|
insignificant (Emphasizes lack of importance as well as small size.)
|
trivial (Can imply the speaker thinks it is not worth attention.)
|
tiny (More about physical size; less formal.)
Antonyms
significant (Large or important enough to matter.)
|
substantial (Large in amount or degree.)
|
considerable (Notably large, often in comparison to expectations.)
Collocations
negligible amount
|negligible impact
|negligible effect
|negligible difference
|negligible cost
|negligible risk
|negligible error
|negligible level
|negligible increase
|negligible reduction
Themes
measurement
|business
|science
|statistics
Examples
- The extra weight is negligible, so it won’t affect the shipping cost.
- In most cases, the side effects are negligible.
- The difference in price is negligible once you include the discount.
Learner examples
- The cost is negligible.
- There was a negligible change in temperature.
adjective
formal
C1
property
2
not important or influential
Not important; it does not change the result.
Usage pattern:
[a factor/role/contribution] is negligible
Common mistake:
Learners may use negligible for people in a rude way; it is better to describe the effect or role as negligible (not the person).
Synonyms
unimportant (More general and less formal.)
|
minor (Suggests small importance, often relative to something bigger.)
|
inconsequential (Emphasizes having no meaningful consequences.)
Antonyms
important (Matters and deserves attention.)
|
major (Large in importance or scale.)
|
decisive (Has a determining influence on the outcome.)
Collocations
negligible role
|negligible importance
|negligible significance
|negligible contribution
|negligible influence
|negligible chance
|negligible probability
|negligible concern
|negligible factor
|negligible benefit
Themes
work
|business
|evaluation
|academic
Examples
- Her role in the decision was negligible, despite what the headlines suggested.
- In this context, political differences are negligible compared to economic concerns.
- The company said the error was negligible and did not affect customer data.
Learner examples
- His contribution was negligible.
- That detail is negligible in this case.
Grammar
Dictionary form
negligible
IPA
GB/nˈɛɡlɪd͡ʒəbəl/
US/nˈɛɡlɪd͡ʒəbəl/
Syllables & stress
neg - li - gible (3 syllables)
Stress on 1st syllable (neg)
Word forms
Adjective
- Base: negligible
- Comparative: negligibler
- Superlative: negligiblest
Word family
Forms
negligibler
adjective
negligiblest
adjective
Core family
negligibly
adverb
neglect
verb B1
Related words
Negative and opposite forms
non-negligible
adjective
Advanced or less common
negligibility
noun
neglectful
adjective B2
Expressions
No expressions linked to this entry yet.