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
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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.
As it looks to focus on integration, Uber said it expects minimal to no further deals through at least 2027, apart from investing in its autonomous vehicle strategy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 4, 2026
When McGonagle joined the team, it had "less than 1,000 subscribers and minimal views".
From BBC ● Oct. 28, 2026
Micro-shoot permits refer to sets with up to 10 filmmakers on site that have a minimal community impact.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 28, 2026
Dube said Equinix facilities use dry cooling that makes minimal use of water and aim to use "biorenewable" energy in order to not strain local power grids.
From Barron's ● Oct. 28, 2026
Zita couldn’t figure out who was paying his rent, minimal though it was.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
