barely (A2)

adverb

Pronunciation: /ˈberli/

Definition

By the smallest amount; only just.

Examples

• She was barely old enough to drive.

• He had barely enough money to cover his expenses.

• The sun was barely visible through the thick fog.

How to Use barely

barely enough (collocation)

Only just sufficient. — "There was barely enough room for two people."

barely visible (collocation)

Only just able to be seen. — "The outline of the mountains was barely visible in the dawn light."

barely audible (collocation)

Only just able to be heard. — "Her voice was barely audible over the noise."

barely conceivable (collocation)

Only just possible to imagine or believe. — "It was barely conceivable that such a thing could happen."

Synonyms of barely

Words with a similar meaning to barely:

• scarcely
• hardly
• just
• only

Antonyms of barely

Words with the opposite meaning to barely:

• easily
• certainly

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