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Hardly any: meaning, definitions and examples

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hardly any

[ ˈhɑːrdli ˈɛni ]

Adverb

^{Context #1 | Adverb}

used to emphasize the smallness or lack of something

Almost none; very few.

Synonyms

almost none, very few.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
hardly any	This phrase is used when you want to emphasize that there is a very small amount of something, often in situations where you expected more. There are hardly any apples left in the fridge. She did hardly any work on the project.
almost none	This phrase is used to highlight that something is present in a negligible amount, almost to the point of being non-existent. After the party, there was almost none of the cake left. The reviews for the new movie were so bad that there were almost none positive.
very few	This phrase is used when indicating a small number or amount of something, often in a more neutral or straightforward manner. Very few people attended the meeting. She has very few close friends.

Word

Description / Examples

hardly any

This phrase is used when you want to emphasize that there is a very small amount of something, often in situations where you expected more.

There are hardly any apples left in the fridge.
She did hardly any work on the project.

almost none

This phrase is used to highlight that something is present in a negligible amount, almost to the point of being non-existent.

After the party, there was almost none of the cake left.
The reviews for the new movie were so bad that there were almost none positive.

very few

This phrase is used when indicating a small number or amount of something, often in a more neutral or straightforward manner.

Very few people attended the meeting.
She has very few close friends.

Examples of usage

There is hardly any food left in the fridge.
I have hardly any money left after paying the bills.
She has hardly any time to relax during the week.

^{Context #2 | Adverb}

used to express doubt or uncertainty

Scarcely; barely.

Synonyms

barely, scarcely.

Which Synonym Should You Choose?

Word	Description / Examples
hardly any	Used to indicate a very small amount or number, often in everyday situations to emphasize the insufficiency. There's hardly any milk left in the fridge We have hardly any time to finish this project
scarcely	Used to denote that something is true only to a very small extent, often implying difficulty or a surprising situation. He could scarcely believe his eyes when he saw the results There was scarcely anyone at the party
barely	Used when something is just enough or almost insufficient, typically in situations that require a minimal amount of something. She barely made it to the bus on time We barely have enough money to pay the bills

Word

Description / Examples

hardly any

Used to indicate a very small amount or number, often in everyday situations to emphasize the insufficiency.

There's hardly any milk left in the fridge
We have hardly any time to finish this project

scarcely

Used to denote that something is true only to a very small extent, often implying difficulty or a surprising situation.

He could scarcely believe his eyes when he saw the results
There was scarcely anyone at the party

barely

Used when something is just enough or almost insufficient, typically in situations that require a minimal amount of something.

She barely made it to the bus on time
We barely have enough money to pay the bills

Examples of usage

She could hardly see through the thick fog.
He can hardly believe his luck.

Translations

Translations of the word "hardly any" in other languages:

🇵🇹 quase nenhum

🇮🇳 मुश्किल से कोई

🇩🇪 kaum

🇮🇩 hampir tidak ada

🇺🇦 майже жоден

🇵🇱 prawie żaden

🇯🇵 ほとんどない

🇫🇷 presque aucun

🇪🇸 casi ninguno

🇹🇷 neredeyse hiç

🇰🇷 거의 없는

🇸🇦 بالكاد أي

🇨🇿 skoro žádný

🇸🇰 sotva aký

🇨🇳 几乎没有

🇸🇮 skoraj nič

🇮🇸 varla nokkuð

🇰🇿 дерлік ештеңе

🇬🇪 თითქმის არავითარი

🇦🇿 demək olar ki, heç bir

🇲🇽 casi ninguno

Etymology

The phrase 'hardly any' originated from the combination of the adverb 'hardly,' meaning barely or scarcely, and the determiner 'any,' indicating an absence or small amount of something. It has been commonly used in English language to emphasize the scarcity or insufficiency of something.