Vanishingly - Meaning, Definition & English Examples
Vanishingly is an adverb meaning something occurs or exists to such a small or rare degree that it almost disappears. It often emphasizes extreme scarcity or improbability, as in vanishingly rare.
Definition:
To an extremely small or negligible degree; almost imperceptibly.
Synonyms:
negligibly, infinitesimally, marginally, imperceptibly
Part of Speech:
adverb
Antonyms:
significantly, substantially, noticeably
Common Collocations:
vanishingly small, vanishingly rare, vanishingly unlikely
Derivatives:
vanish, vanishing
Usage Tips:
Use "vanishingly" to emphasize how small or rare something is, often before adjectives like "small" or "rare."
Common Phrases:
vanishingly small chance, vanishingly rare occurrence, vanishingly unlikely event
Etymology:
Derived from "vanish," from Old French *esvanir*, meaning "to disappear," with the adverbial suffix "-ingly."
Examples:
- 1. The chances of winning the lottery are vanishingly small.
- 2. Her patience was vanishingly thin after hours of waiting.
- 3. Such errors are vanishingly rare in his work.
- 4. The difference between the two samples was vanishingly slight.