as in slightly
by a very small margin
we barely made it to the church on time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Find six barely there nail tints ahead, including two that double as strengthening treatments.
—
Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 13 June 2026
That morning coffee that once jolted you awake now barely registers.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2026
The lightweight material takes up barely any suitcase space, and the embroidered hem elevates this simple silhouette into something special.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2026
What that means is barely explained in the show’s opening arc, which is more straightforwardly rendered than the increasingly surreal final episodes, yet already a strange work rife with symbolism and abstract visual storytelling.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for barely
Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 13 June 2026
That morning coffee that once jolted you awake now barely registers.
—Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2026
The lightweight material takes up barely any suitcase space, and the embroidered hem elevates this simple silhouette into something special.
—Sophie Dodd, Travel + Leisure, 12 June 2026
What that means is barely explained in the show’s opening arc, which is more straightforwardly rendered than the increasingly surreal final episodes, yet already a strange work rife with symbolism and abstract visual storytelling.
—Wilson Chapman, IndieWire, 12 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for barely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for barely
Adverb
-
Going slightly lighter in the center and matching your overall skin tone at the outer edges creates a more natural, dimensional result.—
Jailynn Taylor,
Allure,
13 June 2026
-
Stray electric and magnetic fields that can slightly disturb electrons have far less influence on the nucleus.—
Rupendra Brahambhatt,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
Adverb
-
And Kemp shed his vow of neutrality to back the lieutenant governor just two days before the runoff.—
Greg Bluestein,
AJC.com,
17 June 2026
-
Lucy passed away just a month before her second birthday from a brain hemorrhage — cancer-free.—
Siafa Lewis,
CBS News,
17 June 2026
Adverb
-
Pritchard, a longtime teacher and deputy to county supervisors, received significant support in the district’s rural areas and narrowly outperformed Vega in Woodland precincts, county data show.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
13 June 2026
-
Surfer Hunter Jones narrowly avoided slamming into the Malibu Pier after bailing from a massive wave earlier this week.—
Clara Harter,
Los Angeles Times,
13 June 2026
Adverb
-
The Dolan-Mamdani beef is hardly new.—
Ryan Morik OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
18 June 2026
-
But centuries of Catholic writing and thinking about the universe demonstrate that Sister Maura’s view on God and aliens is hardly novel.—
Luis Parrales,
The Atlantic,
18 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Barely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barely. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
