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
Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026
After weeks of price fluctuations, the white metal hit a nominal all-time high of over $110 per troy ounce in late January 2026 — a milestone that sent investors scrambling to try and capitalize on the metal's impressive price uptick.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
Seven has been the nominal crew size on the ISS since 2020.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 14 Feb. 2026
This year, though, both LaHood and Bost are running unopposed in the March 17 GOP primary and Miller’s facing only nominal opposition.
—Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nominal
Adjective
And if Congress fails to renew these tariffs by roughly August, the bank calculates nominal tariff levels would plummet to the mid-single digits, around 6% to 7%.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 23 Feb. 2026
After weeks of price fluctuations, the white metal hit a nominal all-time high of over $110 per troy ounce in late January 2026 — a milestone that sent investors scrambling to try and capitalize on the metal's impressive price uptick.
—Angelica Leicht, CBS News, 18 Feb. 2026
Seven has been the nominal crew size on the ISS since 2020.
—Mike Wall, Space.com, 14 Feb. 2026
This year, though, both LaHood and Bost are running unopposed in the March 17 GOP primary and Miller’s facing only nominal opposition.
—Daniel C. Vock, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for nominal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nominal
Adjective
-
Within its main chamber sits a 10-meter statue of the titular Chiang, Taiwan‘s first president.—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
13 Mar. 2026
-
The six-time Emmy winner, 53, will spend 8 weeks playing titular former First Lady Mary Todd Lincoln at the Lyceum Theatre, from April 28 to June 20, according to Playbill and Variety.—
Jami Ganz,
New York Daily News,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Also, God forbid, but the examining team might need to unstitch a section of the dress, and there was just the slightest chance that it wouldn’t be put back exactly as it had been received.—
Han Ong,
New Yorker,
15 Mar. 2026
-
Yet by the end of Saturday night, there were slight glimmers of optimism for a team that hasn’t had much to cheer for this season.—
Joshua Kloke,
New York Times,
15 Mar. 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
-
The difference between a $45 plan and a $60 plan is negligible if your refrigerator breaks down and only the more expensive plan has a high enough coverage cap to completely replace it.—
Alora Bopray,
USA Today,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Understanding past oil shocks is important, but relying on them too heavily can encourage the wrong conclusion — that we are either headed for a 1979-style crisis or that the economic consequences will be negligible.—
Alaa Shahine Salha,
semafor.com,
11 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
These tiny emitters resemble miniature ski jumps that launch beams of light into free space.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Mar. 2026
-
Unlike crustaceans, insects developed a system of oxygen intake through tiny holes in their bodies.—
Andrew Coletti,
Popular Science,
12 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The Pentagon’s position was that all of this petty haggling was moot.—
Gideon Lewis-Kraus,
New Yorker,
14 Mar. 2026
-
Any suggestion of a cohesive, equitable tax policy in Florida has been shredded by petty partisanship, deceitful tactics and fake populism.—
Orlando Sentinel Editorial Board,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Nominal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nominal. Accessed 16 Mar. 2026.
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