ENGLISH
REFERENCE

minus

n. countable
B1 Intermediate US //ˈmaɪnəs// UK //mˈaɪnəs// mi·nus Archaic Informal

n. a disadvantage or a negative point about something. You use this when weighing the good and bad parts of a situation.

n. a disadvantage, drawback, or negative factor in a specific situation. Often used in informal or semi-formal contexts when evaluating pros and cons.


SIMPLE

The long commute is a big minus for this job.

CONTEXTUAL

While the apartment is beautiful and modern, the lack of nearby public transport is a significant minus.

COMPLEX

When evaluating the merger, the board considered the potential for market expansion a major plus, while the cultural clash between the two teams remained a worrying minus.

Synonyms
Antonyms
Origin

From Middle English mynus, from Latin minus, neuter form of minor, comparative form of parvus (“small, little”), from the Proto-Indo-European root *mey- (“few, small”).

Usage

Commonly used as a synonym for 'disadvantage' in informal speech; often paired with 'plus' as its opposite.

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