scarcely

Meaning

Only with great difficulty or effort; almost not.

Examples

• He had scarcely begun speaking when he was interrupted.
• There was scarcely enough food for everyone at the party.

Pronunciation: /ˈskɛərslɪ/

How to Use scarcely

scarcely ... when (collocation)

Happening immediately after another event, with little time in between. — "She had scarcely arrived when the phone rang."

scarcely ... than (collocation)

Happening immediately after another event, with little time in between. — "No sooner had he finished one task than he was given another; scarcely had he started than he was interrupted."

Synonyms of scarcely

Words with a similar meaning to scarcely:

• hardly
• barely
• almost not
• just

Antonyms of scarcely

Words with the opposite meaning to scarcely:

• easily
• certainly
• abundantly