as in damn
the smallest amount or part imaginable
only a modicum of skill is necessary to put the kit together
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of modicum
The bittersweet musical numbers lend all the characters — even the comic-relief ones — some modicum of humanity, and Latif’s playful visual style enhances the ironic elements of the tale.
—
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
Sensing there are stretches that require at least a modicum of steering, Brettkelly gets one or two of the older guys to do somewhat jarring off-camera narration/summation, in which the speaker is identified in subtitles in some instances and not others.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
Even the groups showed a modicum of improvement with Swatch Group, Richemont, and LVMH each posting gains of less than 1 percent.
—Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 2 Feb. 2026
Given a modicum of hope, there’s always room to make matters worse.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for modicum
Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 16 Feb. 2026
Sensing there are stretches that require at least a modicum of steering, Brettkelly gets one or two of the older guys to do somewhat jarring off-camera narration/summation, in which the speaker is identified in subtitles in some instances and not others.
—Daniel Fienberg, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
Even the groups showed a modicum of improvement with Swatch Group, Richemont, and LVMH each posting gains of less than 1 percent.
—Victoria Gomelsky, Robb Report, 2 Feb. 2026
Given a modicum of hope, there’s always room to make matters worse.
—Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 30 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for modicum
Recent Examples of Synonyms for modicum
Noun
-
What is emerging instead is a stewardship model that treats vital ecosystems, like coral reefs, as dynamic systems requiring maintenance, repair, and adaptation, much like roads, damns, and power grids.—
Bill Frist,
Forbes.com,
23 Feb. 2026
-
My parents have no idea what’s happening because legacy media is not reporting on anything worth a damn.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Moreover, Trump cares not a whit about bringing drug traffickers to justice.—
Peter Kornbluh,
Washington Post,
5 Jan. 2026
-
Miss Keaton…is not a whit like the flustered ingénue she was cast to play.—
Chris Morris,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Page got the first lick, hitting MJF in the back.—
Ryan Gaydos,
FOXNews.com,
16 Mar. 2026
-
She was known to sneak butter from the fridge to enjoy a few finger licks.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
The offerings are pure Tennessee, with not a shred of brisket to be found.—
Robert F. Moss,
Southern Living,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Not an ounce of human empathy, not a shred of human decency.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
8 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Say those owls are like four, five hundred yards away, and your owl hoot makes those owls take off or start hooting.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
11 Mar. 2026
-
Henshall is a hoot as the tortured inspector, though the series has recently taken on a new dimension with the addition of Ashley Jensen (so brilliant in Ricky Gervais’ Hollywood satire, Extras) as the formidable DI Ruth Calder.—
Declan Gallagher,
Entertainment Weekly,
7 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Modicum.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/modicum. Accessed 19 Mar. 2026.
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