adjective
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of minimal
Explanation
Minimal means the smallest possible, or the least — as in, "She passed the test with minimal studying." Minimal can also mean simple, as in "The apartment had a minimal decor scheme: white walls, no art, a simple black couch." When there is "minimal supervision" at a slumber party, few grownups are present. When you spend the "minimal amount of money" on a trip, you won't be staying at the Ritz. If you grew up with minimal contact with one of your parents, you barely saw or spoke to them. If you like to keep things simple, you might call yourself a minimalist, or a believer in minimalism.
Vocabulary lists containing minimal
Life As We Knew It
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"The Hunger Games" Vocabulary from Chapter 5
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
To help your cat adjust, start them in a small space with minimal exposure like a bathroom, Dresser and Butler suggested.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2026
The lack of transparency, the minimal communication and the demand for fealty is all that younger reporters know — and those with experience who know better are slowly squeezed out.
From Salon ● Sep. 11, 2026
I would prefer to retire in a location with no individual state income tax and ideally minimal sales and other taxes.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 8, 2026
With another blockbuster earnings season in the books, some analysts have also warned that any boost from the third-quarter reports due in the coming months could be minimal.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 8, 2026
But Dimple apparently wanted them to climb this giant hill, so Rishi did, with minimal grunting.
From "When Dimple Met Rishi" by Sandhya Menon
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
