What does “nominal” mean?
- 1
adjectiveexisting in name only, not in reality
The queen is the nominal head of state.
- 2
adjective(of an amount of money) very small compared to the real value
Visitors pay a nominal fee to enter the garden.
- 3
adjective(in economics) not adjusted for inflation
Nominal wages rose, but real wages fell.
Nominal at a glance
- Part of speech
- adjective
- CEFR level
- C1 (advanced)
- Pronunciation
- /ˈnɑmənəl/ · NAH-muh-nul
How to use “nominal” correctly
In economics, “nominal” is the opposite of “real” (adjusted for inflation).
Common phrases with “nominal”
- a nominal fee
- nominal head
- nominal GDP
Synonyms, opposites and related words
Synonyms (similar meaning)
- titular
- token
- symbolic
Antonyms (opposite meaning)
- real
- actual
Word family
- nominally
“nominal” is on these word lists
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