# marginal

/ˈmɑɹdʒənəɫ/ (US) · /mˈɑːdʒɪnəl/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/marginal
Updated: 2026-06-20

## Senses

### 1. small or minor

adjective · CEFR B2

very small in amount or effect; not very important.

For teachers: of minor importance, size, or effect; slight or insignificant.

- The new law only made a marginal difference to the lives of most people.
- The proposed changes to the tax code are expected to have only a marginal impact on the overall economy this fiscal year.

### 2. at the edge

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

relating to or located at the edge or border of something.

For teachers: pertaining to or situated at a margin or border; peripheral.

- The scientist made some marginal notes in the book while she was reading.
- The study focuses on marginal land that is difficult to farm because it sits on the edge of the desert.

### 3. socially excluded

adjective · CEFR C1 · Academic

describing people or groups who are treated as unimportant and kept away from power.

For teachers: relating to groups or individuals excluded from the main social, economic, or political life of a community.

- The charity works with marginal groups who often struggle to find housing.
- Sociologists argue that marginal communities often develop unique cultural identities as a response to their exclusion from mainstream society.

### 4. incremental cost or benefit

adjective · CEFR C1 · Technical

relating to the cost or benefit of producing or buying one more of something.

For teachers: relating to the change in total cost or revenue resulting from a one-unit increase in production or consumption.

- The marginal cost of making one extra phone is actually very low.
- In a perfectly competitive market, firms continue to produce until the marginal cost equals the marginal revenue.

### 5. politically uncertain

adjective · CEFR B2 · British English

describing a seat in parliament that was won by a very small number of votes.

For teachers: referring to a constituency or seat held by a very small majority, making it vulnerable to a change in party control.

- The prime minister visited several marginal seats during the final week of the election.
- The party focused its advertising budget on marginal constituencies where a shift of just a few hundred votes could determine the outcome.

### 6. a swing seat

noun · CEFR C1 · British English · Formal

a voting area that could easily change which party it supports.

For teachers: a constituency or electoral district won by a narrow margin, often targeted by political parties during campaigns.

- If the government loses this marginal, they might lose the whole election.
- Political analysts are closely watching the urban marginals, as these seats often serve as bellwethers for national voting trends.

## Examples

- The difference in cost between the two options is marginal.
- The company decided the marginal increase in profit did not justify the high risk of the new investment.
- While the policy change had a significant impact on urban centers, its effect on rural communities remained marginal due to existing infrastructure limitations.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.