insignificant occurrence

[ɪnˌsɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt əˈkɜːrəns]
noun phrasepl: insignificant occurrences
ocorrência insignificante
1. a minor, trivial, or unimportant event or happening that has little consequence or relevance
The spilled coffee was just an insignificant occurrence in the grand scheme of the project.
O café derramado foi apenas uma ocorrência insignificante no grande esquema do projeto.
2. something that happens but does not warrant serious attention or consideration
His late arrival was an insignificant occurrence that nobody seemed to mind.
Sua chegada atrasada foi uma ocorrência insignificante que ninguém pareceu se importar.
In both Brazilian and American contexts, this phrase is used to downplay or minimize the importance of events. Brazilians may use the more casual 'coisa sem importância' in informal conversation, while the fuller phrase 'ocorrência insignificante' appears in more formal or written contexts. In American English, colloquial alternatives like 'no big deal' or 'small potatoes' are more commonly used in everyday speech than the formal phrase itself.
NYC Slang
no big deal; small potatoes; nothing to write home about
Synonyms / Sinônimos
trivial eventminor incidenttrifleunimportant happeningsmall matterbagatelle
Antonyms / Antônimos
significant occurrencemajor eventimportant happeninglandmark eventmomentous occasion

Regional Variations

General Brazilian
ocorrência insignificante
most common and standard usage
General Brazilian
coisa sem importância
colloquial alternative meaning 'thing without importance'
São Paulo
ocorrência irrelevante
slightly more formal variant
Portugal
ocorrência insignificante
same as Brazilian Portuguese, standard usage
Portugal
acontecimento trivial
more literary alternative

Related Words

insignificantoccurrenceincidenteventtrivialityinconsequentiality

Related Idioms & Phrases

not worth mentioning
a drop in the bucket
neither here nor there
a mountain out of a molehill (when overreacted to)
small potatoes
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