margin

The empty space around the writing on a page.

• Leave a wide margin.
• She wrote a note in the margin.
• The printer cut off the right margin.

Common phrases: page margin, wide margin, in the margin

The difference between two scores, amounts, or results, especially between a winner and a loser.

• They won by a narrow margin.
• Her margin of victory surprised everyone.
• The final margin was just two points.

How to use it: by a margin of… (They won by a margin of three votes.)

Similar words: difference, gap

Common phrases: winning margin, narrow margin, margin of victory

The amount by which a selling price is higher than the cost of making or buying something.

• Our profit margin is small.
• Rising costs have reduced their margins.
• The shop earns a higher margin on drinks.

How to use it: margin on something (The margin on each sandwich is small.)

Similar words: profit

Common phrases: profit margin, low margin, margin on something

Extra time, money, or space allowed in case something goes wrong or needs more.

• Leave a small margin for delays.
• The schedule gives us no margin for error.
• We added a safety margin to the budget.

How to use it: margin for something (We left a margin for unexpected costs.)

Similar words: allowance, buffer

Common phrases: safety margin, margin for error, leave a margin

The amount by which a measured or estimated result could differ from the true value.

• The survey has a small margin of error.
• A larger sample reduces the margin of error.
• The reported difference falls within the margin of error.

How to use it: margin of error of… (The poll has a margin of error of three percentage points.)

Common phrases: margin of error, small error margin

A position outside the main part of a group or society, with little power or influence.

• They live on the margins of society.
• Her views kept her on the margin of the movement.
• The charity helps people pushed to the margins.

How to use it: on the margin of something (He remained on the margin of political life.)

Similar words: fringe, edge

Opposites: center

Common phrases: on the margin, margin of society