BARELY Synonyms: 36 Similar and Opposite Words

barely

adverb

ˈber-lē

Definition of barely

as in slightly

by a very small margin we barely made it to the church on time

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of barely It can be policed only as much as it can be predicted, which is to say barely at all. — Larisha Paul, Rolling Stone, 19 Oct. 2026 Kip comes slamming down the stairs, this huge mass barely staying upright by repeatedly grabbing the railing just in time. — George Saunders, New Yorker, 18 Oct. 2026 Both trends held true, although barely, as the Hurricanes needed two overtimes to survive another upset bid on a day filled with chaotic finishes and upsets. — Chantz Martin Outkick, FOXNews.com, 18 Oct. 2026 After playing a key role in the Cleveland Guardians’ Wild Card series comeback against the Chicago White Sox, Steven Kwan was barely able to speak with a reporter in the clubhouse. — Don Riddell, CNN Money, 18 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for barely

Recent Examples of Synonyms for barely

Adverb

Lam Research, whose equipment and services help make semiconductors, reported gains in profit and revenue for the summer that were slightly stronger than analysts expected, for example.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 23 Oct. 2026
Step 2 Whisk 2 large eggs, room temperature, ¼ cup half-and-half, ¼ cup (packed; 50 g) dark brown sugar, ¼ cup (½ stick) unsalted butter, melted, slightly cooled, and 2 tsp.

— Zoe Denenberg, Bon Appetit Magazine, 22 Oct. 2026

Definition of slightly

Adverb

Completing the flight test just weeks after a captive-carry event demonstrated how quickly the program progressed through its testing sequence.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 21 Oct. 2026
The mattress was ready to sleep on just a few hours after unpacking.

— Nashia Baker, Architectural Digest, 21 Oct. 2026

Definition of just

Adverb

Again, Hixon suggested Meta was reading the authors’ request too narrowly.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 20 Oct. 2026
The former University City Library narrowly led in the race for the title of most popular early voting site through Monday, with 5,233 ballots cast.

— Mary Ramsey, Charlotte Observer, 20 Oct. 2026

Definition of narrowly

Adverb

The 21-year-old from Dallas, who soared to gold in the all-around on Friday after recovering from injuries that wrecked her Olympic hopes in 2021 and again in 2024, hardly looked tired in what has quickly become the meet of her life.

— ABC News, ABC News, 24 Oct. 2026
If the solution isn’t to migrate 70% of the web to a new programming language, then fixing its underlying problems – and all the other software problems in the world – would hardly be an easy fix, either.

— David Goldman, CNN Money, 23 Oct. 2026

Definition of hardly

Browse Nearby Words

bare-knuckle

barely

bareness

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“Barely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barely. Accessed 27 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of barely

adverb

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