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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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.
Independent expenditures supporting Steyer’s bid for governor have been minimal compared with the record-breaking $212 million Steyer has donated to his own campaign as of Monday, according to the California secretary of state’s office.
From Los Angeles Times • May 26, 2026
SpaceX’s upcoming IPO, aiming to raise $75 billion, could prompt some Tesla shareholders to shift investments, though its impact on Tesla stock is expected to be minimal.
From Barron's • May 24, 2026
They also included another condition called "minimal zeros," which limits the number of points where scattering probabilities vanish.
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
The risk Ebola poses outside east Africa is minimal.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
This time, though, the students were given an answer key and, under minimal supervision, told to grade their own papers.
From "The Tipping Point" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
