Meaning & use
minimal impact
Last updated
Meanings
phrasefixed phrase
causing very little damage, change, or effect on something
Grammar: Used as an adjective phrase before a noun or after a linking verb: a minimal-impact design; the design is minimal impact.
Patterns
- have minimal impact on something
- be minimal impact
The new building was designed to have minimal impact on the surrounding forest.
We chose a minimal impact approach to avoid disturbing the wildlife.
The company promised that its operations would be minimal impact on the local community.
phrasefixed phrase
a very small effect or influence on a situation or person
Grammar: Often used after 'have' or 'make': make a minimal impact on something.
Patterns
- make a minimal impact on something
The new policy made a minimal impact on reducing traffic.
Her comments had a minimal impact on the final decision.
Common combinations
- minimal impact on the environment
- The product is advertised as having minimal impact on the environment.
- minimal impact design
- They used a minimal impact design to build the trail.
- minimal impact approach
- The team took a minimal impact approach to the construction.
Synonyms and how they differ
- low-impact
- Low-impact is similar but often suggests less physical stress, as in low-impact exercise, while minimal impact focuses on very little effect overall.
- negligible
- Negligible means so small it can be ignored; minimal impact means very little but not necessarily zero.
Opposites
Commonly confused: minimal impact or minimum impact?
minimal impact vs minimum impact
Minimum impact means the smallest possible impact, while minimal impact means a very small impact, not necessarily the absolute smallest.
Practice
The new factory was built to have ______ on the nearby river.
Choose one answer.
The phrase 'have minimal impact on' is correct. 'Minimal affect' is wrong because 'affect' is a verb, not a noun. 'Minimum impact' would mean the smallest possible impact, which is not the intended meaning here. 'Minimal impact on' is redundant because 'on' is already at the end of the sentence.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “minimal impact”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.