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
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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
Jonathan Horwitz, Oc Register, 2 June 2025
Presumably, the series can conclude when our nominal adults finally do get grown.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 25 June 2025
Treats and train rides are available for a nominal fee.
—Pomerado News, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2025
Daily nominal interest rates have averaged 4.69% since then compared to 4.24% for the same time period before the election.
—Christian Weller, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nominal
Noun
Adding a measure to the November general elections would cost the city a nominal fee of $8,500.
—Jonathan Horwitz, Oc Register, 2 June 2025
Presumably, the series can conclude when our nominal adults finally do get grown.
—Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 25 June 2025
Treats and train rides are available for a nominal fee.
—Pomerado News, San Diego Union-Tribune, 25 June 2025
Daily nominal interest rates have averaged 4.69% since then compared to 4.24% for the same time period before the election.
—Christian Weller, Forbes.com, 24 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for nominal
Recent Examples of Synonyms for nominal
Adjective
-
In retrospect, both fans and Grenier himself have asserted that Nate may be the actual villain of The Devil Wears Prada, and not the titular devil herself.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
People.com,
1 July 2025
-
Beyond the film’s campy appeal — the original movie captured audiences for the titular character’s killer dance moves and tag lines — the film poses of-the-moment questions around AI usage.—
Kristen Tauer,
Footwear News,
30 June 2025
Adjective
-
And when detecting the artist approaching flow, the device would emit a subtle cue — a slight change in the sound of their instrument or the lighting — to give the brain a subconscious boost and thereby accelerate and enhance one’s immersion into flow.—
Brandon Sneed,
Rolling Stone,
6 July 2025
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Similarly, Morning Consult's June 27 to 29 poll found 47 percent of respondents approved of Trump's job performance, with 50 percent disapproving—a slight improvement from May's 45 percent approval and 53 percent disapproval.—
Martha McHardy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 July 2025
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
-
Both titles sold a negligible sum in the week previous, and nearly all of their sales in the latest week were from vinyl purchases.—
Keith Caulfield,
Billboard,
7 July 2025
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There are now negligible claims of mistakes in capital punishment verdicts, partially because of DNA evidence.—
Reader Commentary,
Baltimore Sun,
4 July 2025
Adjective
-
Both videos show the pop star on the beach in a tiny, triangle zebra print bikini and a wide-brimmed hat.—
Clare Fisher,
People.com,
1 July 2025
-
Eventually the Times just acknowledged on the front page what could always be found deeper in the newspaper: that the virus’s lethality was almost totally confined to a tiny percentage of very old Americans; nursing homes the routine locale of deaths once again with the virus.—
John Tamny,
Forbes.com,
1 July 2025
Adjective
-
While Lian was staring in the mirror practicing her hows and lows and preparing for her future, Wenyu was sneaking out of prep class more and more frequently to pull petty pranks with her new boyfriend.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
1 July 2025
-
Seventy-five years later, some of the Tribune’s criticisms seem petty.—
Ron Grossman,
Chicago Tribune,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Nominal.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/nominal. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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