My case status wording changed slightly but the overall meaning seems the same, and I’m trying to figure out if that kind of wording change usually signals something meaningful behind the scenes or if it’s just USCIS tweaking language without real impact.

That usually doesn’t mean anything significant. USCIS tweaks the wording on case statuses pretty often when they update their systems or standardize messages, and a small wording change doesn’t automatically mean an officer took action or that something changed with your case. Most of the time the underlying status is exactly the same and it’s just a cosmetic update, so unless there’s a clear new step or notice attached, it’s not something to read too much into.