Barely missed

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Barely missed" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone or something came very close to achieving or hitting a target but ultimately did not succeed. Example: "I barely missed the bus this morning, arriving just as the doors closed."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sports

General

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

It barely missed an artery.

The New York Times

They barely missed me".

The New York Times

Verlander barely missed a perfect game.

The New York Times - Sports

He barely missed a groundstroke.

The Guardian - Sport

I had barely missed them.

The Guardian - Books

One blow barely missed her heart.

The Washington Post

The ball barely missed Davis's head.

The New York Times - Sports

I barely missed her this past week.

The Guardian

Clark swung hard -- and barely missed.

The New York Times

Bullets barely missed several vital organs.

The New York Times

But the bottle barely missed a man and his dogs.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "Barely missed" to add emphasis to situations where the outcome could have easily been different. For instance, describing a sports play or an accident.

Common error

While "Barely missed" is widely understood, consider more formal alternatives like "Narrowly avoided" or "Marginally failed" in professional or academic writing to maintain a more serious tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Barely missed" functions as an adverbial modifier indicating the degree to which an event or action nearly occurred or succeeded. Ludwig shows many instances where it describes a situation where something almost happened.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

40%

Sports

30%

General

15%

Less common in

Academia

5%

Formal & Business

5%

Science

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "Barely missed" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to describe situations that almost occurred or were achieved. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's widely applicable across various contexts, although its frequency is highest in news and sports reporting. When writing, be mindful of your audience; while generally acceptable, consider alternatives like "Narrowly avoided" in more formal settings. The term expresses a close call or near success, adding emphasis to the precariousness of the situation.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Scarcely missed

Similar to 'barely' but may imply a more improbable miss.

Narrowly avoided

Emphasizes the act of dodging or preventing something undesirable.

Marginally missed

Emphasizes a small degree of failure or avoidance.

Just avoided

Highlights the minimal margin by which something was avoided.

By a hair's breadth

Idiomatic expression indicating a very narrow margin.

Almost hit

Focuses on the proximity to impact or contact.

Nearly reached

Implies a close approach to achieving a goal or target.

Slightly failed to

Underlines the failure aspect, despite the closeness.

Closely failed

Highlights the proximity of the failure.

Came close to missing

Focuses on the act of almost not achieving something.

FAQs

What does "Barely missed" mean?

It means that something almost hit or was achieved, but not quite. It indicates a near miss or a close call.

How can I use "Barely missed" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe events where the outcome was very close. For example, "The car "narrowly avoided" hitting the pedestrian" or "He "just avoided" failing the exam".

What can I say instead of "Barely missed"?

You can use alternatives like "narrowly avoided", "just avoided", or "almost hit", depending on the context.

Is it correct to say "Barely missed to"?

No, the correct form is "Barely missed" followed by a noun or gerund. For example, "He barely missed the train" is correct, while "He barely missed to catch the train" is incorrect. A better alternative is: "He "almost managed to" catch the train".