barely administered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "barely administered" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something is managed or executed with minimal effort or effectiveness. Example: "The project was barely administered, leading to numerous delays and miscommunications."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

He said that paramedics could not reach the crush, and the "basic technique" of inserting airways into casualties' mouths was barely administered.

The Guardian - Sport

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Down south, in Munich, the first beer showers had barely been administered when supporters gatecrashed the carefully choreographed party with former Bayern players and 99 red balloons for every championship won in the last 100 years.

The Guardian - Sport

When his condition deteriorates and he can barely move, she administers a lethal injection and holds him in her arms until the next morning.

Huffington Post

During British colonisation, the two regions were administered separately, but the south was barely developed.

The Guardian

She can no longer hear her grandchildren running around the house, she has to be administered meds daily by a nurse and she barely overcame a bout with debilitating depression. .

Huffington Post

On the 2011 National Assessment of Educational Progress, an exam administered every two years, average scores for fourth and eight grade reading remained stagnant or barely improved.

Huffington Post

administered galanin.

Nature

On last year's Connecticut Academic Performance Test, a state-mandated exam administered to all high school sophomores, Hartford's female students easily surpassed their male peers in reading and writing proficiency; male students barely kept pace in math and science.

The New York Times

Administered by whom?

The New York Times - Books

Oxygen administered.

BBC

We administered dexamethasone to pregnant rats on gestational days 17-19 at a standard therapeutic dose (0.2mg/kg); offspring were then given chlorpyrifos on postnatal days 1-4, at a dose (1mg/kg) that produces barely-detectable (<10%) inhibition of brain cholinesterase activity.

Duke University

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "barely administered", ensure the context clearly indicates what was supposed to be administered and the negative consequences of its poor administration. This adds clarity and impact to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "barely administered" when the situation involves a complete lack of administration, as this diminishes the impact. In such cases, opt for stronger phrasing such as "not administered at all" or "completely neglected".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely administered" functions as an adjective phrase, modifying a noun to describe the quality or extent of the administration. As supported by Ludwig, it describes situations with minimal effort or effectiveness.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Science

5%

Encyclopedias

3%

Reference

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "barely administered" is a grammatically sound phrase used to describe situations where something has been managed or executed with minimal effort or effectiveness. According to Ludwig, it's appropriate for neutral contexts, spanning news, academic, and professional settings. The phrase communicates a sense of inadequacy or criticism, indicating that the level of administration was less than satisfactory. While not extremely common, its use is established in credible sources like The Guardian and The New York Times, as confirmed by Ludwig.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

scarcely managed

Replaces "administered" with "managed", implying a similar lack of effective control or oversight.

minimally applied

Substitutes "administered" with "applied", focusing on the low level of implementation.

hardly executed

Uses "executed" in place of "administered", emphasizing the weak or incomplete performance of a task.

insufficiently overseen

Replaces both words to emphasize a lack of adequate supervision during administration.

poorly implemented

Focuses on the quality of implementation rather than direct administration.

negligibly handled

Highlights the neglectful manner in which something was managed or dealt with.

tenuously controlled

Emphasizes the fragile or weak control exerted during the administration process.

virtually unmanaged

Implies that administration was so poor as to be almost nonexistent.

sketchily conducted

Suggests that the administration was carried out in a hurried or incomplete manner.

superficially applied

Focuses on the lack of depth or thoroughness in the administration process.

FAQs

How can I use "barely administered" in a sentence?

You can use "barely administered" to describe situations where something was managed or executed with minimal effort or effectiveness. For example: "The aid was "barely administered", leading to widespread suffering".

What are some alternatives to "barely administered"?

Alternatives include "scarcely managed", "minimally applied", or "poorly implemented", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is "barely administered" grammatically correct?

Yes, "barely administered" is grammatically correct. It uses the adverb "barely" to modify the past participle "administered", forming a valid adjectival phrase.

What does "barely" mean in the context of "barely administered"?

In this context, "barely" means "only just" or "scarcely". So, "barely administered" suggests that something was administered to a minimal extent, almost not at all.