barely been

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "barely been" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something has occurred to a very small extent or for a very short time. Example: "She has barely been in the city for a week, yet she has already made many friends."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

53 human-written examples

The other car had barely been scratched.

The New York Times

Her voice has barely been heard.

The New York Times

The platter has barely been touched.

The New Yorker

Yet it has barely been touched.

The Economist

At Cabinet, it has barely been discussed.

Independent

Breitbart's office had barely been furnished.

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

5 human-written examples

Offices barely are.

The Economist

It could barely be heard.

The New York Times - Sports

"The ball is barely being hit".

The New York Times - Sports

They could barely be mistaken for human.

Independent

The Bills could barely be lower.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "barely been" to highlight a contrast between expectation and reality. For example, "The project has barely been started, yet expectations for its completion are already high."

Common error

Avoid using "barely been" when you simply mean 'recently'. "Barely been" emphasizes the minimal aspect of an experience or occurrence, not just its recency. For example, instead of "I've barely been to Italy", when you mean you went to Italy one time, use "I've only recently been to Italy" or "I've just been to Italy".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely been" functions as an adverbial modifier combined with an auxiliary verb. It indicates a minimal degree or extent to which something has happened or existed. As Ludwig shows, it often precedes a past participle.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

77%

Science

18%

Encyclopedias

1%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "barely been" is grammatically correct and very common, as supported by Ludwig's analysis. It functions as an adverbial modifier to express that something has occurred to a minimal extent or for a very short time, emphasizing the lack of significance or impact. The usage is primarily found in news and media, as well as scientific contexts, indicating its neutral register. While "barely been" is often interchangeable with "hardly been" or "scarcely been", it's important to use it to highlight the minimal extent rather than just the recency of an event. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is widely accepted and used across various reputable sources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hardly been

Indicates a similar sense of minimal occurrence or presence, using 'hardly' instead of 'barely'.

scarcely been

Replaces 'barely' with 'scarcely', conveying nearly the same meaning of something existing or occurring to a very small extent.

minimally been

Directly conveys the idea that something has occurred to a minimal degree.

only just been

Emphasizes the recentness and minimal duration of an event or state.

just been

Suggests something has happened very recently, almost immediately before the present.

almost not been

Highlights the near absence of something, stressing that it barely existed or occurred.

virtually not been

Indicates that something is so close to non-existence that it's almost as if it hasn't occurred.

negligibly been

Implies that the impact or extent of something is so small that it can be disregarded.

rarely been

Indicates that something has occurred infrequently, though it doesn't necessarily imply a minimal degree each time.

infrequently been

Similar to 'rarely been', but emphasizes the lack of frequency more explicitly.

FAQs

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

The phrase "barely been" indicates that something has occurred to a very small extent or for a very short time. For example, "The car had "barely been" scratched in the accident" or "He has "barely been" able to practice since his injury".

What phrases are similar in meaning to "barely been"?

Alternatives include "hardly been", "scarcely been", or "only just been", depending on the nuance you wish to convey.

Is "barely been" grammatically correct?

Yes, "barely been" is grammatically correct. It's a common construction used to express that something has happened to a very slight degree. Ludwig AI confirms this usage with numerous examples from reputable sources.

What is the difference between "barely been" and "recently been"?

"Barely been" emphasizes the minimal extent or degree to which something has occurred, while "recently been" simply highlights the recency of the event. For example, "I've "barely been" touched on" focuses on the small impact, whereas "I've "recently been" to Italy" focuses on the recent visit.