adverb
-
hardly at all; only just
-
ironic probably not or definitely not
that is scarcely justification for your actions
Usage
See hardly.
Synonym Usage
See hardly.
Etymology
Origin of scarcely
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English; see origin at scarce, -ly
Explanation
Scarcely means just before, hardly, or “almost not.” If you had scarcely made it to bed when the sun started to rise, you are probably pretty tired by now. Scarcely may have just made it in the nick of time and by the skin of its teeth, but it’s here now, even if it is just barely hanging on — which means you can scarcely accuse it of not showing up. Though an ly adverb, scarcely is unusual in that it is not so much a descriptor of its root adjective as a synonym of the adverb form scarce. If you scarcely believe me, look it up for yourself!
Vocabulary lists containing scarcely
"Because I Could Not Stop for Death" by Emily Dickinson
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The Monroe Doctrine (1823)
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Where the Mountain Meets the Moon
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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.
Scarcely a day goes by without the NHS being in the news – even more so during the winter.
From BBC • Feb. 13, 2025
Scarcely a month earlier, Paul McCartney had announced the Beatles’ disbandment.
From Salon • May 7, 2024
Scarcely two decades after that preteen declaration, the 34-year-old is an Emmy- and Grammy-nominated composer whose resume could fill pages.
From Seattle Times • Dec. 13, 2023
Scarcely two weeks after the Supreme Court delivered the Brown v.
From Slate • May 16, 2023
Scarcely aware of what she was doing, Cornflower threw the lantern.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
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.
