trivial

/ˈtrɪviəl/ (bre, ipa) · /ˈtrɪviəl/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈtri-vē-əl/ (ame, mw)

trivial — adjective

  • trivialpositive
  • more trivialcomparative
  • most trivialsuperlative

1. Something that is trivial is not important, serious, or worth spending time or e

1.形容詞B1
釋義

Something that is trivial is not important, serious, or worth spending time or energy on.

例句

Soraya was upset about a trivial comment her colleague made during the meeting.

The committee spent hours discussing trivial matters instead of the budget crisis.

collocation: trivial matters / trivial details

同義詞
  • unimportant

    direct synonym; interchangeable in most contexts but less judgemental in tone

  • insignificant

    stronger emphasis on having no real impact or meaning

  • minor

    focuses on small size or degree rather than value judgement

  • petty

    negative connotation; suggests the thing is small-minded or beneath notice

反義詞
  • important

    direct opposite; something worth serious attention

  • significant

    opposite in degree of impact or meaning

  • major

    opposite in scale or seriousness

用法筆記

Frequently used with nouns referring to details, problems, differences, or concerns — the object of trivial should be something that could matter but turns out not to.

常見錯誤

❌The box was trivial and could fit in my pocket.
✅The box was tiny and could fit in my pocket.
💡"trivial" refers to value or importance, not physical size.
❌She had a trivial headache that lasted all day.
✅She had a mild headache that lasted all day.
💡"trivial" is about unimportance, not about the intensity of a physical sensation.

2. A problem, question, or task that is trivial is very easy to solve, deal with, o

2.形容詞B2
釋義

A problem, question, or task that is trivial is very easy to solve, deal with, or understand — often with the suggestion that it requires almost no effort at all.

例句

For Christopher, fixing the leaky pipe was a trivial job that took minutes.

collocation: trivial job / trivial task

Renata found the first level of the game trivial and finished it quickly.

pattern: find + object + trivial

同義詞
  • simple

    broader and more neutral; can apply to any easy task

  • straightforward

    emphasises clarity and lack of complication

  • uncomplicated

    formal; emphasises the absence of difficulty

  • easy

    the most general word; less specific than trivial

反義詞

用法筆記

Distinguish from sense 1: in this sense, trivial carries no negative value judgement — it simply means something costs very little effort. Common with task nouns (problem, question, job, step, level).

常見錯誤

❌The marathon was trivial for the professional runner.
✅The warm-up jog was trivial for the professional runner.
💡"trivial" is best for small, everyday tasks, not for major achievements made to look easy.