narrowly — only just; by a small margin
Part of speech: ADVERB
Definition: only just; by a small margin
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈnæroʊli/
Example Sentences
- The student narrowly passed the exam with a score of 60.1 points
- I narrowly avoided eating my mom's mystery casserole by pretending to be sick
- The cat narrowly escaped from the dog by jumping onto the fence
narrowly
ADVERB[/ˈnæroʊli/]
only just; by a small margin
The cyclist narrowly avoided a collision by turning at the very last second.
The plane narrowly missed the mountain after the pilot reacted instantly. ("Narrow gap!" → narrowly = by a very small margin)
She narrowly escaped because she drove carefully and arrived successfully at her destination.
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from the Old English adjective 'narrow' (meaning narrow or confined in space), combined with the adverbial suffix '-ly'. Originally denoting a physical sense of narrowness, the meaning expanded metaphorically to describe situations or outcomes that are barely achieved or narrowly avoided.
Breakdown
narrow (adjective: narrow, confined) + -ly (adverbial suffix forming adverbs from adjectives, meaning 'in the manner of' or 'characterized by').
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“The student narrowly passed the exam with a score of 60.1 points”
“I narrowly avoided eating my mom's mystery casserole by pretending to be sick”
“The cat narrowly escaped from the dog by jumping onto the fence”
“He narrowly missed becoming a millionaire - his lottery ticket was off by one number”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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