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.
The second season of “House of the Dragon” left off with Rhaenyra and Alicent plotting for the former to take King’s Landing with minimal resistance in exchange for the latter’s freedom.
From Los Angeles Times • May 29, 2026
The study comes as Americans are living longer, spending up to decades in retirement with minimal savings.
From MarketWatch • May 29, 2026
That additional revenue comes with minimal incremental expenses, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 28, 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
Sometimes I really hate being a minimal speaker.
From "Boy21" by Matthew Quick
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.
