adjective
Other Word Forms
- minimally adverb
- nonminimal adjective
- subminimal adjective
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.
Michael Olise often burst towards the ball, receiving it under minimal pressure, able to turn and drive at the heart of the defence with momentum.
From BBC • Apr. 15, 2026
The e-commerce giant said Tuesday that it will acquire Globalstar, a satellite company focused on providing service to areas where coverage is minimal, in a deal set to close next year.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 15, 2026
The device landed nearby and extinguished, and minimal damage was reported, the memo said.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 10, 2026
But ship traffic through the strait, which normally accounts for around 20% of the world’s oil supply, has stayed at minimal levels since the cease-fire was announced late Tuesday.
From Barron's • Apr. 9, 2026
Even the October Revolution in Russia in 1905, an event with thunderously far-reaching implications for society at large, had minimal impact on the contemporaneous upheavals in music.
From "The Story of Music" by Howard Goodall
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.
