Examples of “marginal” in a Sentence

adj Located at or near an edge or border.

• Notes were added in marginal comments throughout the manuscript.

adj Very small in size or importance; barely significant.

• The new policy had only a marginal effect on sales.
• It was a marginal improvement at best.
• The difference between the two phones is marginal, so buy the cheaper one.

adj Relating to a political seat won by a small majority.

• The party focused its campaign on a handful of marginal seats.
• The minister spends most weekends visiting a marginal seat in the north.
• Campaigners knocked on doors in a marginal constituency every evening.

noun A political constituency won by a small margin.

• Several marginals switched hands in the last election.
• The party needs to hold on to its marginals to stay in power.
• Reporters waited to see which marginals would change hands overnight.