marginal district

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   An area where the winner of an election won by only a small number of votes, so the result could easily change.

   Grammar: Countable: say a marginal district, two marginal districts.

   Patterns

   • win/lose a marginal district
   • a marginal district for a party

   Both parties spent heavily in the marginal districts.

   She won her marginal district by fewer than 500 votes.

2. 2nouncountable

   An area that is far from a city center and has few services or businesses.

   Grammar: Countable and often plural: services in marginal districts.

   Patterns

   • live in a marginal district
   • develop a marginal district

   Doctors are reluctant to work in marginal districts.

   The town has several marginal districts with poor transport links.

Word forms

Common combinations

a key marginal district

The party targeted key marginal districts in the north.

a safe seat

Unlike a marginal district, a safe seat rarely changes hands.

swing a marginal district

A small shift in opinion can swing a marginal district.

a marginal constituency

British reporters often say marginal constituency instead of marginal district.

Synonyms and how they differ

swing seat

Very close in meaning, but mainly British and used for any area where the result may change.

battleground

Wider and more dramatic; it can mean any area of intense competition, not just an election.

Opposites

Word family

margin noun

The difference in votes between the winner and the loser.

marginal adjective

Won by a small amount, or only slightly important.

Commonly confused: marginal district or marginal seat?

Practice

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