What does "marginal" mean?
Something or somebody that is marginal.
Marginal
/ˈmɑː.d͡ʒɪ.nəl/ adj, noun
adj, noun ·Moderate ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: Something or somebody that is marginal.
- Grammar: marginal is listed as adj, noun.
- Nearest alternatives: borderline, additional, bare, barely adequate margin.
- Useful contrasts: acutest, agricultural heartland, average.
- Usage evidence: There is only a marginal difference between the two.
How to use "marginal"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "marginal" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "marginal" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "marginal" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "marginal" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "marginal" is acting as adj, noun in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "borderline" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
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Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "marginal", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 Something or somebody that is marginal.
"[…] discusses those who belong to the discipline's dominant cults, the mainliners, and their relations with the marginals and mavericks."
- 2 A constituency won with a small margin.
Adjective
- 1 Of, relating to, or located at or near a margin or edge; also figurative usages of location and margin (edge). not-comparable, usually
"The marginal area at the edge of the salt-marsh has its own plants."
- 2 Of, relating to, or located at or near a margin or edge; also figurative usages of location and margin (edge).; Written in the margin of a book. not-comparable, usually
"There were more marginal notes than text."
- 3 Of, relating to, or located at or near a margin or edge; also figurative usages of location and margin (edge).; Sharing a border; geographically adjacent. not-comparable, usually
"Monmouthshire is a Welsh county marginal to England."
- 4 Determined by a small margin; having a salient characteristic determined by a small margin.; Of a value, or having a characteristic that is of a value, that is close to being unacceptable or leading to exclusion from a group or category. comparable, not-comparable, usually
"His writing ability was marginal at best."
- 5 Determined by a small margin; having a salient characteristic determined by a small margin.; Barely productive. comparable, not-comparable, usually
"He farmed his marginal land with difficulty."
Show 3 more definitions
- 6 Determined by a small margin; having a salient characteristic determined by a small margin.; Subject to a change in sitting member with only a small change in voting behaviour, this usually being inferred from the small winning margin of the previous election. Australia, New-Zealand, UK, comparable, not-comparable, usually
"In Bristol West, Labour had a majority of only 1,000, so the seat is considered highly marginal this time around."
- 7 Pertaining to changes resulting from a unit increase in production or consumption of a good. not-comparable, usually
- 8 Marginalized. not-comparable, usually
"The caseworker couldn't understand how I could have stretched out my last bit of money for so long. She seemed convinced that I was "hiding" income from her and interrogated me for I don't know how long. […] The system seems based on the assumption that people are "welfare cheats." If you don't speak English or are marginal in some other way, it's worse."
Adjective
- 1 at or constituting a border or edge wordnet
- 2 of questionable or minimal quality wordnet
- 3 producing at a rate that barely covers production costs wordnet
- 4 just barely adequate or within a lower limit wordnet
Synonyms
All synonymsExample
"There is only a marginal difference between the two."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "marginal"?
Common synonyms include: borderline, additional, bare, barely adequate margin, bordering, borderline.
How do you use "marginal" in a sentence?
There is only a marginal difference between the two.
How do you pronounce "marginal"?
Pronounced /ˈmɑː.d͡ʒɪ.nəl/.
Etymology
Learned borrowing from Medieval Latin marginālis, equivalent to margin + -al.