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
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in substantive
Related Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of nominal
Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 29 Jan. 2026
The original plan, according to multiple team and league sources, was to keep Tanner Engstrand, a first-time offensive coordinator and play caller for the Jets last season, as the team’s nominal offensive coordinator while giving primary play-calling duties to a more veteran coach.
—Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Duckworth paid Bainbridge, in effect, a salary, with only nominal advances per title.
—Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Before long, the nominal two-day office schedule has crept up to three or four days.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nominal
Adjective
The Royal Lodge, located on the vast grounds of Windsor Castle and Great Park (which total 5,000 acres) is a property that’s owned by the monarch and given or rented (usually at a nominal rate) to family and friends of the Crown.
—Elise Taylor, Vanity Fair, 29 Jan. 2026
The original plan, according to multiple team and league sources, was to keep Tanner Engstrand, a first-time offensive coordinator and play caller for the Jets last season, as the team’s nominal offensive coordinator while giving primary play-calling duties to a more veteran coach.
—Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 28 Jan. 2026
Duckworth paid Bainbridge, in effect, a salary, with only nominal advances per title.
—Christopher Tayler, Harpers Magazine, 27 Jan. 2026
Before long, the nominal two-day office schedule has crept up to three or four days.
—Caroline Castrillon, Forbes.com, 21 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nominal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nominal
Adjective
-
The film’s story spans thousands of years and traverses multiple continents, with locations ranging from Antarctica to Africa to the titular Indian city.—
Naman Ramachandran,
Variety,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Alexander Skarsgard is pretty much perfect as the titular Murderbot, and his incessant voice-over narration offers a perfect comedic take on a genre that rarely takes this kind of tone.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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But because this all unfolded early on a Saturday morning, and oil-futures trading doesn’t open until Sunday evening, investors had a slight buffer.—
Will Gottsegen,
The Atlantic,
31 Jan. 2026
-
With an emphasis on energy management thanks to the uptick in electrical power, the introduction of active aerodynamics and a slight reduction in the size and weight of the cars, the drivers have found the new challenge refreshing.—
Luke Smith,
New York Times,
31 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
First Acts: From the symbolic to the substantive, here is a look at what nine new governors elected last year have done in their first weeks in office.—
Maggie Astor,
New York Times,
30 Jan. 2023
-
With his substantive, agreeably granular bass, David Grogan gave prophetic warnings real authority.—
Dallas News,
Dallas News,
23 Dec. 2022
Adjective
-
Humphries suggested the price tag would be negligible.—
Matthew Kelly,
Kansas City Star,
29 Jan. 2026
-
During the largest winter storm of the season, which saw up to two-feet of snow blanket New England as a deep freeze sent temperatures plummeting into the single-digits, the regional grid reported that oil was heavily relied on while renewable energy sources provided negligible electrical power.—
Tim Dunn,
Boston Herald,
28 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Family says county 'stole' family home over tiny tax, taking fight to Supreme Court.—
,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
However, heat can cause iodide to be lost from the surface, leaving behind tiny holes.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
From the creators of The Hills, Selling Sunset provides viewers with romance, petty drama, luxurious homes, and a game of trying to remember which Oppenheim twin is which.—
Kevin Jacobsen,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Feb. 2026
-
This is more than just petty high-school behaviour to be brushed off.—
Orianna Rosa Royle,
Fortune,
1 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nominal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nominal. Accessed 4 Feb. 2026.
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