Barely: meaning, definitions and examples

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barely

[ ˈberli ]

Adverb / Adjective

^{Context #1 | Adverb}

in a limited way

Used to emphasize that something is only just true or only just the case.

Synonyms

hardly, scarcely.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
barely	Use 'barely' to indicate that something happened, but only by a very small amount or margin. It emphasizes the minimal degree. She barely passed the exam. He barely made it to the meeting on time.
hardly	Use 'hardly' to express that something is almost impossible or just barely possible. It often carries a negative connotation. I can hardly hear you over the noise. She hardly ever goes out anymore.
scarcely	Use 'scarcely' to indicate that something is true only in a very limited manner. It is often used in a formal or literary context. The village was so remote that it was scarcely known to outsiders. He had scarcely finished his meal when the phone rang.

Word

Description / Examples

barely

Use 'barely' to indicate that something happened, but only by a very small amount or margin. It emphasizes the minimal degree.

She barely passed the exam.
He barely made it to the meeting on time.

hardly

Use 'hardly' to express that something is almost impossible or just barely possible. It often carries a negative connotation.

I can hardly hear you over the noise.
She hardly ever goes out anymore.

scarcely

Use 'scarcely' to indicate that something is true only in a very limited manner. It is often used in a formal or literary context.

The village was so remote that it was scarcely known to outsiders.
He had scarcely finished his meal when the phone rang.

Examples of usage

I barely know him.
She could barely see the road through her tears.
We barely made it in time for the movie.

^{Context #2 | Adverb}

in a meager way

Used to emphasize that there is very little of something.

Synonyms

just, scarcely.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
barely	Use this word when something almost didn't happen or only just happened to a minimal extent. She barely passed the exam. He could barely see in the dark room.
just	This word is often used to emphasize that something happened a very short time ago or to the smallest degree. I just finished my homework. She was just about to leave when the phone rang.
scarcely	Use this in more formal writing to indicate that something happened with great difficulty or almost didn't happen at all. It often carries a negative connotation. They had scarcely enough food to survive the winter. I can scarcely believe that he would act in such a manner.

Word

Description / Examples

barely

Use this word when something almost didn't happen or only just happened to a minimal extent.

She barely passed the exam.
He could barely see in the dark room.

just

This word is often used to emphasize that something happened a very short time ago or to the smallest degree.

I just finished my homework.
She was just about to leave when the phone rang.

scarcely

Use this in more formal writing to indicate that something happened with great difficulty or almost didn't happen at all. It often carries a negative connotation.

They had scarcely enough food to survive the winter.
I can scarcely believe that he would act in such a manner.

Examples of usage

He had barely enough money to pay for the meal.
She was barely awake after the long flight.

^{Context #3 | Adjective}

minimal

Only just sufficient in amount; not quite adequate.

Synonyms

minimal, scant.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
barely	This word is used to describe something that almost didn't happen or is just enough. It implies a very close margin. He barely made it to the train on time. The plant barely survived the harsh winter.
scant	This word describes something that is insufficient or lacking in quantity. It often suggests a shortfall or shortage and may carry a slightly negative connotation. There was scant evidence to support his claim. The resources available were scant and insufficient for the task.
minimal	Use this word to describe the least amount necessary or very small in quantity. It is often used in technical, scientific, or formal contexts. The risk of side effects from the medication is minimal. We had a minimal budget for the project.

Word

Description / Examples

barely

This word is used to describe something that almost didn't happen or is just enough. It implies a very close margin.

He barely made it to the train on time.
The plant barely survived the harsh winter.

scant

This word describes something that is insufficient or lacking in quantity. It often suggests a shortfall or shortage and may carry a slightly negative connotation.

There was scant evidence to support his claim.
The resources available were scant and insufficient for the task.

minimal

Use this word to describe the least amount necessary or very small in quantity. It is often used in technical, scientific, or formal contexts.

The risk of side effects from the medication is minimal.
We had a minimal budget for the project.

Examples of usage

She made a barely audible sound.
He had a barely noticeable scar on his cheek.

Translations

Translations of the word "barely" in other languages:

🇵🇹 mal

🇮🇳 मुश्किल से

🇩🇪 kaum

🇮🇩 hampir tidak

🇺🇦 ледь

🇵🇱 ledwie

🇯🇵 かろうじて

🇫🇷 à peine

🇪🇸 apenas

🇹🇷 zar zor

🇰🇷 거의

🇸🇦 بالكاد

🇨🇿 sotva

🇸🇰 sotva

🇨🇳 几乎不

🇸🇮 komaj

🇮🇸 varla

🇰🇿 әрең

🇬🇪 სიძნელით

🇦🇿 çətinliklə

🇲🇽 apenas

Etymology

The word 'barely' originated from the Middle English word 'barli,' which means 'only just.' It has been used in the English language since the 15th century. The word has evolved over time to convey the sense of something being just sufficient or only just true. Its usage has become common in both spoken and written English, reflecting its versatility in expressing limited quantities or actions.

Word Frequency Rank

With rank #4,358, this word represents useful upper-intermediate vocabulary. Understanding and using it will help you express more complex ideas effectively.

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4360 barrier
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...