margin

margin — noun

1. the number of votes, points, or similar units that separate a winner from a lose

1.nounB2
Definition

the number of votes, points, or similar units that separate a winner from a loser in a competition, election, or game.

Example

The Labour Party won the seat by a margin of just two hundred votes.

by a margin of [amount] to state the difference

João beat his closest rival by a wide margin in the final race.

by a wide / narrow margin for the size of the gap

Common collocations
  • narrow margin
  • wide margin
  • comfortable margin
  • win by a margin
  • lose by a margin
Synonyms
  • gap

    more general; can refer to any difference, not just votes/points

  • lead

    focuses on the winner's advantage rather than the distance between competitors

  • difference

    neutral term; less specific to competitive outcomes

Grammar Patterns

margin of [amount]

by a margin of [amount]

by a [adjective] margin

Usage Note

Frequently appears after the preposition 'by' to describe how someone won or lost: 'won by a large margin', 'lost by a narrow margin'. The adjective signals whether the result was close or decisive.

Common Mistakes

The team won with a margin of 10 points.
The team won by a margin of 10 points.
use 'by', not 'with', before 'a margin'.

2. the profit earned from selling goods, equal to the selling price after subtracti

2.nounB2
Definition

the profit earned from selling goods, equal to the selling price after subtracting what it cost to make or buy them, often shown as a percentage.

Example

The company's profit margin has dropped from fifteen percent to eight percent this year.

profit margin + percentage change

Corner shops usually operate on very thin margins.

thin margin = very small profit

Common collocations
  • profit margin
  • thin margin
  • healthy margin
  • gross margin
  • operating margin
Synonyms
  • profit

    the absolute amount earned; margin is a ratio or relative figure

  • markup

    specifically the amount added to the cost price to set the selling price

Grammar Patterns

margin on [product/service]

profit margin

gross margin

Usage Note

Commonly modified by adjectives that indicate size: 'thin / slim / narrow' for small profits, 'healthy / high / fat' for large profits. 'Gross margin' refers to profit before operating costs are deducted.

Common Mistakes

The profit margin of this product is high.
The profit margin on this product is high.
use 'on', not 'of', to link the margin to the product.

3. the empty area on a page between the main printed or written text and the edges

3.nounB1
Definition

the empty area on a page between the main printed or written text and the edges of the paper.

Example

The teacher wrote short comments in the margin of Chidi's essay.

in the margin (preposition pattern)

Beatrix drew tiny stars in the margin next to each new vocabulary word.

Common collocations
  • left margin
  • right margin
  • in the margin
  • wider margin
  • narrow margin
Synonyms
  • border

    refers to the decorative or structural edge, not just blank space

  • edge

    the physical outer boundary of the paper, not the designated blank area

Grammar Patterns

in the margin

left margin

right margin

Usage Note

Often paired with 'left' or 'right' to specify which side of the page. 'In the margin' is the standard prepositional phrase for content placed there.

Common Mistakes

Write your notes on the margin.
Write your notes in the margin.
use 'in', not 'on', for annotations placed inside the margin area.

4. the extreme outer part or boundary of an area, surface, or body of water.

4.nounB2
Definition

the extreme outer part or boundary of an area, surface, or body of water.

Example

Tall reeds grew along the eastern margin of the lake.

margin of [body of water]

Hoa walked along the margin of the forest where the sunlight still reached.

Common collocations
  • margin of the lake
  • margin of the forest
  • eastern margin
  • southern margin
Synonyms
  • edge

    the everyday word for the outer boundary of an object

  • border

    often implies a defined or decorative boundary between two areas

  • rim

    specifically for circular openings such as a cup, glass, or crater

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

margin of [place]

at the margin of [place]

Usage Note

More formal and descriptive than 'edge'. Common in geography ('the margin of the continental shelf'), biology ('the leaf margin'), and medicine ('the margin of a wound').

Common Mistakes

The margin of the table is sharp.
The edge of the table is sharp.
for everyday furniture and objects, 'edge' is the natural word; 'margin' sounds overly technical.

5. a state of being at the outer edge of a community or field, where a person or ca

5.nounC1
Definition

a state of being at the outer edge of a community or field, where a person or category of people is not fully included in the mainstream.

Example

Many immigrant communities live on the margins of mainstream society.

on the margins of society

The charity supports young people who are on the margins of the labour market.

on the margins of [field/activity]

Common collocations
  • on the margins of society
  • on the margins of the economy
  • pushed to the margins
Synonyms
  • fringe

    similar meaning but often implies the radical or unconventional edge, not necessarily disadvantaged

  • periphery

    more formal; describes a position far from the centre of power or influence

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

on the margins of [group/society]

at the margins of [activity]

Usage Note

Almost always uses the plural form 'margins' and the preposition 'on' — 'on the margins'. The singular is rare in this sense. Frequently carries a connotation of exclusion or disadvantage.

Common Mistakes

He lives in the margin of society.
He lives on the margins of society.
this sense always takes the plural 'margins' and the preposition 'on'.

6. an additional amount of time, money, space, or other resource that is included t

6.nounB2
Definition

an additional amount of time, money, space, or other resource that is included to allow for possible problems, mistakes, or unexpected events.

Example

The engineers designed the bridge with a safety margin of thirty percent.

safety margin + percentage

Mauricio booked the flight with a margin of three extra hours for delays.

Common collocations
  • safety margin
  • margin of error
  • margin for error
  • no margin for
  • comfortable margin
Synonyms
  • leeway

    freedom to act or deviate within limits; less precise than margin

  • buffer

    something that protects against negative effects; often used for time or resources

  • allowance

    a specific amount set aside for a particular purpose

Grammar Patterns

margin of [resource]

margin for [purpose]

safety margin

margin of error

Usage Note

Commonly appears in fixed phrases: 'margin of error' (acceptable deviation in statistics or measurement), 'safety margin' (extra capacity in engineering), 'margin for error' (allowance for mistakes). Subject is usually a plan, budget, design, or schedule.

Common Mistakes

There is no error margin in this project.
There is no margin for error in this project.
use 'margin for error', not 'error margin'.

7. an amount of money or financial assets that an investor gives to a broker as a g

7.nounC1
Definition

an amount of money or financial assets that an investor gives to a broker as a guarantee when borrowing money to buy securities or trade futures contracts.

Example

Investors must deposit a margin of at least thirty percent to trade on credit.

deposit a margin of [percentage]

Nikos received a margin call when the value of his shares dropped sharply.

margin call = request for more deposit

Common collocations
  • on margin
  • margin call
  • margin trading
  • minimum margin
  • margin requirement
Synonyms
  • collateral

    any asset pledged as security for a loan; broader than margin which is specific to broker trading

  • deposit

    a general term for money placed with a financial institution

  • security

    property pledged as a guarantee; broader financial term

Grammar Patterns

on margin

margin call

margin trading

deposit margin

Usage Note

Appears in the fixed phrase 'on margin' (adverb phrase meaning 'using borrowed money from a broker'). 'Margin call' is a separate noun phrase describing the broker's demand for additional deposit when the value of the collateral falls.

Common Mistakes

I bought the shares with margin.
I bought the shares on margin.
'on margin' is the fixed prepositional phrase, not 'with margin'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All four words describe a distance between two things, but they are used in different contexts. 'Margin' is specific to competitive outcomes — elections, votes, points, or seconds where a winner beats a loser. 'Gap' is more general and can refer to any kind of separation: a gap between teeth, a gap in knowledge, or a gap in time. 'Lead' focuses on the winner's advantage from the winner's perspective: 'She extended her lead' — you would not say 'extended her margin'. 'Difference' is the most neutral term and works almost anywhere, whereas 'margin' always implies a measured quantity in a competitive setting. For example: 'The gap between rich and poor is growing' (not margin), but 'The team won by a margin of three goals' (margin is natural).

gap ↗leaddifference ↗spread ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • by a margin of
  • on the margins of
  • a margin for

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchMiddle EnglishEnglish

The word 'margin' comes from the Latin word 'margo', meaning 'edge' or 'border'. It entered English through Old French 'marge' and later 'margin'. The original meaning of a physical edge on a page (from the 14th century) later extended to figurative edges: the 'outer edge' of any area, then 'the edge of a group' (social margin), and then 'a spare amount of something that gives you room to act' (safety margin). The financial sense of a deposit for trading developed in the 19th century with the growth of stock exchanges.