Very barely

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "Very barely" is not standard in written English and may be considered awkward or incorrect.
It could be used in informal contexts to emphasize a minimal degree of something, but it is not commonly accepted. Example: "I very barely passed the exam, just scraping by with the minimum score."

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

"I saw myself as being very barely a writer of fiction.

The Guardian - Books

On recording the Stones' first demos, and recording the blues I very barely remember it, because, to me, I was in heaven, 'cause I was actually in a recording studio.

The Guardian - Music

Berlin described his visit to her flat: It was very barely furnished virtually everything in it had, I gathered, been taken away—looted or sold during the siege..

Wikipedia

17-AAG reduced hypoxia-induced HIF-1α accumulation in control cells, while only a very barely down-regulation of HIF-1α protein expression was evident in bcl-2 overexpressing clones after 17-AAG treatment ( Figure 6A ).

Plosone

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

I was teaching English (very badly), barely coping with temperatures of -15C and fighting a losing battle with the Russian language.

The Guardian - Opinion

If in doubt, just encircle your friend very gently, barely touching, and leave it at this.

WikiHow

He speaks very softly, barely moving his lips.

The Guardian

"It was a very large, barely diluted, vodka and orange".

The Guardian - Sport

It was very soft, barely audible — there was nothing contrived about it.

The New Yorker

In fact, although they did have some experience, it was very circumscribed, barely sketched.

The New Yorker

A famous recipe by Williams Carlos Williams is simple: cold plums, nicked from the ice box, and very faint, barely registered regret.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "very barely" in formal writing; opt for clearer and more concise alternatives such as "hardly at all" or "scarcely any".

Common error

Using "very barely" creates unnecessary redundancy, weakening the impact of your writing. Replace it with a single, more precise adverb to enhance clarity.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "Very barely" functions as an adverbial modifier, attempting to intensify the adverb "barely". It aims to emphasize the minimal degree to which an action or state is true. However, Ludwig AI suggests that the construction is grammatically awkward.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Wiki

25%

Science

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, while the phrase "Very barely" is used to emphasize a minimal degree or slight occurrence, it is generally considered grammatically awkward and redundant. Ludwig AI indicates that it's better to opt for clearer and more concise alternatives such as "hardly at all", "scarcely any", or "just barely", especially in formal writing. The phrase appears mainly in news, wiki and science contexts, but its infrequent usage suggests considering more standard expressions for enhanced clarity and precision.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Hardly at all

Emphasizes the absence of something to a greater extent than "very barely".

Scarcely any

Indicates a minimal amount or degree, similar to "very barely" but more accepted.

Just barely

Highlights the narrow margin by which something is achieved or present.

Almost not

Focuses on the nearness to non-existence or non-occurrence.

Barely perceptible

Emphasizes the difficulty in noticing or detecting something.

Slightly noticeable

Suggests something is present but only to a small degree.

Minimally present

Highlights the small degree to which something exists.

Faintly visible

Indicates that something can be seen, but only with difficulty.

Marginally significant

Indicates a slight or borderline level of significance.

Virtually non-existent

Highlights the near absence of something.

FAQs

Is "Very barely" grammatically correct?

While sometimes used in informal contexts, "Very barely" is generally considered grammatically awkward and redundant. It's better to use alternatives like "hardly at all" or "scarcely any".

What does "Very barely" mean?

"Very barely" attempts to emphasize a minimal degree or slight occurrence of something, but the combination is often seen as redundant.

Which is better, "Very barely" or "Just barely"?

"Just barely" is preferable to "Very barely" as it is more common and less awkward. However, consider stronger alternatives like "almost not" or "scarcely any" for better clarity.

What can I use instead of "Very barely"?

Consider using "hardly at all", "scarcely any", "just barely", or "almost not" depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.