barely — only just; almost not; scarcely
Part of speech: ADVERB
Definition: only just; almost not; scarcely
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˈberli/
Example Sentences
- I barely slept last night because my neighbor's cat was singing opera.
- She barely had time to grab her coffee before the meeting started.
- The pizza was barely warm, but I ate it anyway because I was starving.
barely
ADVERB[/ˈberli/]
only just; almost not; scarcely
He barely caught the last train home.
The weak signal was barely noticeable.
He barely arrived early, but surely made the interview on time.
Got the picture? Now let's practice.
🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
The word derives from Middle English 'bare', meaning naked or meager, which evolved to signify scarcity or a minimal state of condition. The adverbial form developed to describe something done in a sparse or barely sufficient manner.
Breakdown
bare (naked, meager) + -ly (adverbial suffix forming adverbs from adjectives)
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“I barely slept last night because my neighbor's cat was singing opera.”
“She barely had time to grab her coffee before the meeting started.”
“The pizza was barely warm, but I ate it anyway because I was starving.”
“He barely knows how to use a smartphone, but somehow became a YouTube influencer.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
Related
Want to master 19,000+ words?
Sign up free for flashcards & quizzes.