barely
Meaning
The adverb "barely" means only just; by a very small margin or degree, often indicating that something is almost not the case.
💡 A common mistake is to confuse "barely" with "hardly," which can imply a stronger sense of difficulty or impossibility.
Example Sentences
Word in Context
Anna
woke
up
late
and
hurried
down
the
stairs
,
hoping
she
could
still
make
the
morning
bus
.
She
barely
reached
the
stop
when
the
bus
arrived
,
and
the
driver
closed
the
doors
just
as
she
climbed
on
.
Inside
the
bus
she
found
a
free
seat
and
checked
her
bag
for
the
notes
she
would
use
in
the
meeting
.
The
ride
was
quiet
,
with
soft
rain
on
the
window
,
and
she
reviewed
her
presentation
in
her
mind
.
When
she
stepped
off
,
she
felt
relieved
to
be
on
time
and
ready
to
speak
calmly
.
Common Phrases
barely enough
barely noticeable
barely manage
Synonyms
Related Words
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