minimal

/ˈmɪnəməl/

/ˈmɪnɪməl/

Minimal means the smallest possible, or the least — as in, "She passed the test with minimal studying." Minimal can also mean simple, as in "The apartment had a minimal decor scheme: white walls, no art, a simple black couch."

When there is "minimal supervision" at a slumber party, few grownups are present. When you spend the "minimal amount of money" on a trip, you won't be staying at the Ritz. If you grew up with minimal contact with one of your parents, you barely saw or spoke to them. If you like to keep things simple, you might call yourself a minimalist, or a believer in minimalism.

Definitions of minimal

1. adjective

   the least possible
   “needed to enforce minimal standards”

   “her grades were minimal”

   “a minimal charge for the service”

   synonyms: minimum

   borderline, marginal

   of questionable or minimal quality

   negligible

   so small as to be meaningless; insignificant

   nominal, token, tokenish

   insignificantly small; a matter of form only (`tokenish' is informal)

   stripped, stripped-down

   having only essential or minimal features

   antonyms:

   maximal

   the greatest or most complete or best possible

   supreme

   greatest or maximal in degree; extreme