barely
Americanadverb
-
only just; scarcely; no more than; almost not.
He had barely enough money to pay for the car.
-
without disguise or concealment; openly.
They gave the facts to him barely.
-
scantily; meagerly; sparsely.
-
Archaic. merely.
adverb
-
only just; scarcely
barely enough for their needs
-
informal not quite; nearly
barely old enough
-
scantily; poorly
barely furnished
-
archaic openly
Usage
See hardly.
Etymology
Origin of barely
First recorded before 950; Middle English; Old English bærlīce; see bare 1, -ly
Explanation
Something barely there is hardly there at all. If there are barely any leaves on the trees, then winter is right around the corner. Barely is a word meaning hardly, nearly, scarcely, or marginally. If there is barely a dusting of snow, there is hardly any snow at all. If your team barely won a game, then they came really close to losing. If you barely missed an ice cream truck, then you missed it by seconds. This is a word for near misses and close calls.
Vocabulary lists containing barely
"To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, Chapters 26–31
Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!
Tears of a Tiger
Interested in learning more words like this one? Our team at Vocabulary.com has got you covered! You can review flashcards, quiz yourself, practice spelling, and more – and it's all completely free to use!
Thirteen Reasons Why
Want to remember this word for good? Start your learning journey today with our library of interactive, themed word lists built by the experts at Vocabulary.com – we'll help you make the most of your study time!
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
It may also include $73 million paid to scores of alleged providers, all at the same address, a barely occupied office building in Ohio, according to a report in the Daily Caller.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
"But that neutrality means they barely interact with their environment, making them bad at the sort of signal-switching logic that computers depend on."
From Science Daily • May 19, 2026
It is still barely decorated, just a corkboard pinned with photos of the boys and a folding table covered with stacks of reports.
From Los Angeles Times • May 18, 2026
For people who are risk-averse, that much cash can feel like a warm blanket, but it’s likely barely keeping up with inflation, if at all.
From MarketWatch • May 18, 2026
She went straight from the climate conference in Harrisburg to her friend Amber’s house for the rest of the weekend, so I’ve barely seen her since early Saturday morning.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
