barely any chance

USAGE SUMMARY

"barely any chance" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to express that the likelihood of something happening is very low. Example: "There is barely any chance of rain tomorrow." Alternative expressions include "hardly any chance" and "scarcely any chance."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Professional

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

By the time Matthews and Taylor were separated, there was barely any chance to choke.

The Guardian - Sport

For instance, it expands Operation Streamline, a program in border-state federal courts where defendants have little access to lawyers and barely any chance to fight the charges.

The New York Times

Hence the worry that, if even California struggles to meet such conditions, China stands barely any chance of doing so.Under China's brand of "socialism with Chinese characteristics", the state dominates all big industries.

The Economist

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

"They barely got any chances, and they got hit with the ball.

The New York Times - Sports

No sooner does one group take off than the next lands, with insistent demands, giving Norris barely a chance to draw breath.

The Guardian

Defense lawyers meet clients on the way to a court appearance, with barely a chance to find out their names, much less whether they're telling the truth or not.

The New York Times - Arts

Officials in Moscow have devised a novel strategy to handle an onslaught of British soccer fans for a championship game: Give them barely a chance to set foot on Russian soil.

The New York Times

You cobble together a few paragraphs of training received, strengths and weaknesses, future plans, but there's barely a chance to write something that sounds remotely worthwhile and genuine.

The Guardian - Money

In some cases, officials at mortgage servicers signed hundreds of documents a day with barely a chance to review them — the so-called robo-signers — while doubts have arisen about the veracity of the original documents compiled as part of the foreclosure process.

The New York Times

It's just 7am, and Anna Hazare has barely had chance to affix his trademark starched white cotton "Gandhi cap".

Independent

Between 1931 and 1933, Linzmayer guessed at the identity of another several thousand cards, but his success rate was now barely above chance.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In scientific contexts, use the phrase to describe results that are only slightly better than random, as seen in Ludwig examples where performance is "barely above chance".

Common error

Avoid pairing "barely" with other negative words such as 'not' or 'never'. Writing 'there isn't barely any chance' is a common error; instead, write 'there is "barely any chance"'.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely any chance" serves as a complex noun phrase where the adverb "barely" modifies the quantifier "any", which in turn qualifies the noun "chance". It functions to indicate a quantity or degree that is only just above zero. Ludwig examples demonstrate its role in both subject and object positions within sentences.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Science

25%

Professional

10%

Less common in

Social Media

5%

Informal Wiki

3%

Reference Materials

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In conclusion, "barely any chance" is a robust and versatile phrase that effectively communicates a near-absence of possibility. Linguistic evidence from Ludwig shows that it is a favorite among journalists and scientists alike for its precision. Whether describing a team's failure in a sports match or a result that is "barely above chance" in a laboratory setting, the phrase carries a weight of skepticism that is useful for analytical and descriptive writing. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is grammatically correct and widely accepted in Tier-1 publications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hardly any chance

Uses a different adverb with identical meaning, often considered perfectly interchangeable.

scarcely any chance

A more formal or literary alternative that emphasizes rarity.

barely a chance

Uses the indefinite article instead of a quantifier, focusing on a single opportunity.

almost no chance

Slightly more absolute in its denial of probability.

little to no chance

A common idiomatic expression that covers the spectrum from 'minimal' to 'zero'.

virtually no chance

Strengthens the negative implication while remaining technically open to a tiny possibility.

slim chance

Uses an adjective to describe the 'chance', creating a more idiomatic and common noun phrase.

remote chance

Suggests the possibility is 'far off' or unlikely to manifest.

negligible chance

A technical or scientific term suggesting the probability is too small to be meaningful.

only a slight chance

Phrased positively to acknowledge the small possibility that does exist.

FAQs

How to use "barely any chance" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe a low probability, for example: "There was "barely any chance" of survival in those conditions."

What can I say instead of "barely any chance"?

Depending on the context, you can use phrases like "hardly any chance", "scarcely any chance", or "slim chance".

Is "barely any chance" grammatically correct?

Yes, it is a grammatically sound adverbial phrase. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread use in reputable publications like The New York Times and The Guardian.

What is the difference between "barely any chance" and "barely a chance"?

While extremely similar, ""barely any chance"" often refers to a general probability, whereas "barely a chance" usually refers to a specific single opportunity or moment.