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Meaning & use

fringe minority

noun·Advanceddisapproving

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UK/ˌfrɪndʒ maɪˈnɒrəti/
US/ˌfrɪndʒ maɪˈnɔːrəti/
Usage warning: this word is disapproving. It shows a negative opinion, so take care with who and what you use it about.

Meanings

  1. nouncountabledisapproving

    A small group whose views or way of life differ sharply from those of most people in a society.

    Grammar: Countable: you can say a fringe minority or fringe minorities.

    Patterns

    • a fringe minority of people
    • belong to a fringe minority

    The proposal was backed only by a fringe minority and never became law.

    Members of a fringe minority often feel that mainstream media ignore them.

    Politicians sometimes dismiss protest movements as a fringe minority.

  2. nouncountable

    A small section of a larger group that holds unusual or extreme opinions.

    Grammar: Often used with within or inside to show the larger group.

    Patterns

    • a fringe minority within a party
    • a fringe minority inside an organization

    A fringe minority within the party demanded a complete change of direction.

    The report described the activists as a fringe minority inside the union.

    Even a fringe minority can attract attention if its message is loud enough.

Word forms

pluralfringe minorities

Common combinations

a tiny fringe minority
Only a tiny fringe minority opposed the new policy.
dismiss someone as a fringe minority
Critics dismissed the group as a fringe minority.
a fringe minority within something
A fringe minority within the council blocked the vote.
represent a fringe minority
These views represent a fringe minority, not the general public.

Synonyms and how they differ

faction
A faction is any small group inside a larger one, often with its own aims, and does not necessarily suggest strange or extreme views.
splinter group
A splinter group has broken away from a larger organization; a fringe minority may still be part of it.
lunatic fringe
This is much more insulting and informal, describing people with extreme or foolish ideas.

Opposites

mainstreammajority

Word family

fringe adjective
Unusual and not accepted by most people, as in fringe beliefs.
minority noun
Less than half of a group; the smaller part.

Commonly confused: fringe minority or minority group?

fringe minority vs minority group

A minority group is simply a smaller group, often defined by race, religion, or language, and is not necessarily extreme or disapproved of.

Practice

The new rules were supported only by ______, so they were quickly dropped.

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