Synonyms of nominal

nominal 1 of 2

adjective

ˈnä-mə-nᵊl 

1

as in titular

being something in name or form only

he was the nominal head of state—everyone knew the country was actually run by one of his advisers

Synonyms & Similar Words

• titular
• formal
• supposed
• paper
• virtual
• presumed
• ostensible
• phantom
• seeming
• assumed
• apparent
• so-called
• evident

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• real
• true
• actual

2

as in slight

so small or unimportant as to warrant little or no attention

when you pay $400 for an airline ticket, a ticketing fee of five dollars seems nominal

Synonyms & Similar Words

• slight
• negligible
• tiny
• petty
• trivial
• insignificant
• piddling
• minute
• inconsiderable
• trifling
• measly
• paltry
• piffling
• inconsequential
• footling
• pimping
• Mickey Mouse
• picayune
• niggling
• piddly
• chicken
• no-account
• peanut
• imperceptible
• little
• puny
• inappreciable
• de minimis
• inferior
• mean
• pettifogging
• small-fry
• one-horse
• quibbling
• hairsplitting
• two-bit
• nitpicking

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• considerable
• significant
• important
• substantial
• big
• serious
• material
• outstanding
• consequential
• prominent
• remarkable
• striking
• conspicuous
• noteworthy
• weighty
• appreciable
• measurable
• pivotal
• momentous
• eventful
• discernible

nominal

2 of 2

noun

as in substantive

Related Words

• substantive
• noun
• mass noun
• count noun
• common noun
• collective noun
• proper noun

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of nominal

Adjective

At his initial court appearance, prosecutors successfully asked that Storer remain held without bail, while his attorney’s request for nominal bail was denied, court minutes reviewed by Fox News Digital show. — Sarah Rumpf-Whitten, FOXNews.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Rather than source a direct, probably expensive, replacement in the market, Carrick fielded a fluid front four on Saturday, with Bryan Mbeumo deputising as the nominal forward. — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 9 Aug. 2026

United Russia, the country’s nominal ruling party, was never built to designate an heir; rather, it was meant to ensure that elections produced reliably pro-regime seat-fillers in institutions such as parliament. — Julian G. Waller, Foreign Affairs, 7 Aug. 2026

Many of my patients are having more trouble making ends meet over the past few years, especially as grocery prices have risen roughly 25% in nominal terms since 2022 – a jump that has outpaced wage growth for many low-income households. — Amelia B. Finaret, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026