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
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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.
He said firefighting personnel in local and federal agencies should be allowed to perform their work with minimal influence from political leaders.
From Los Angeles Times • May 1, 2026
Courts and bar authorities should also revisit fee reasonableness in high-volume, low-complexity matters where lawyering is minimal.
From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026
Hungary's economy has shown minimal growth for the past three years.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
For decades, China was a cash cow for many legacy brands, requiring minimal investment and offering huge gains.
From Barron's • Apr. 27, 2026
He lost his lawsuit against Koch when Houseman and Anne Froelick testified that Welles’s role in writing the original script had been minimal.
From "Spooked!" by Gail Jarrow
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.