de minimis

adjective

dē-ˈmi-nə-məs How to pronounce de minimis (audio)
Definition of de minimisnext
as in slight
so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention investors disappointed by stock dividends that were decidedly de minimis

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of de minimis The president initially signed an executive order suspending the de minimis exemption in 2025. — Heath Kalb, CBS News, 28 Apr. 2026 Infrequent, low-value tickets may qualify as a de minimis benefit. — Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 21 Mar. 2026 Higher tariffs and the end of the de minimis exemption continue to be a major cost for the company. — Gabrielle Fonrouge, CNBC, 17 Mar. 2026 The de minimis situation adds a layer of consumer-visible pain that is easy to overlook amid the larger legal drama but hard for ordinary Americans to miss at checkout. — Jay Caruso, The Washington Examiner, 13 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for de minimis
Recent Examples of Synonyms for de minimis
  1. slight
  2. nominal
  3. insignificant
  4. petty
  5. trivial
Adjective
  • Ndoye didn't shoot on his first touch of the ball, though, and that slight hesitation to control the ball and gather for a shot left just enough time for Argentina to swoop in to block the shot.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 12 July 2026
  • England will be slight favorites given the amount of world-class quality supporting its star man.
    — Ben Church, CNN Money, 11 July 2026
Definition of slight
Adjective
  • International goods trade comprises nearly a third of the state's nominal GDP, with the state particularly exposed to tariffs that were not invalidated by February's Supreme Court ruling.
    — Scott Cohn, CNBC, 13 July 2026
  • The judge also awarded Biden $1 in nominal damages and ordered Byrne to pay nearly $35,000 in court sanctions.
    — Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 11 July 2026
Definition of nominal
Adjective
  • The small, seemingly insignificant experience of controlling an automobile by clutching and levering its gears turned out to be deeply meaningful.
    — Ian Bogost, The Atlantic, 7 July 2026
  • Even with tariff turmoil swirling and adding a not-insignificant degree of confusion and instability to global trade, there have been some crucial bright spots for the textile industry over the past year, in large part because of the protections afforded by USMCA.
    — Kate Nishimura, Footwear News, 26 June 2026
Definition of insignificant
Adjective
  • Less social cohesion A decade ago, crime was infrequent and petty.
    — Joseph J. Gonzalez, The Conversation, 9 July 2026
  • The general reaction to the policy has been overwhelmingly positive, Xue said, aside from some remarks on social media that charging for a smashed teacup was a petty move.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of petty
Adjective
  • The aesthetic philosophy runs through every decision, including ones that might seem trivial.
    — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 28 June 2026
  • In reality, the origin is completely trivial.
    — Theodore McDarrah, Forbes.com, 26 June 2026
Definition of trivial

Browse Nearby Words

demimondes
de minimis
demirep
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Cite this Entry

“De minimis.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/de%20minimis. Accessed 15 Jul. 2026.

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