barely correct

USAGE SUMMARY

'barely correct' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to emphasize something that is almost correct but not quite. For example: "His answer was barely correct but he still managed to pass the test."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

He had barely finished correcting the page proofs in the medical center of the University of California, Los Angeles, when he died, in 1964.

The New York Times - Arts

After substantial training, they perform barely above 60% correct, hardly compelling evidence that mice really learn this task.

eLife

But the Cumbrians were unfazed and it took them barely six minutes to correct Clayton's error.

Independent

Still, his face lit up when a young man whispered the correct answer barely after finishing reading the problem.

The New York Times

Then, the interview barely begun, he appears to correct himself and without warning reaches into his memory's darkest recess.

The Guardian

A sample of high-school pupils aged 17 or 18 gave correct answers to barely half of a set of questions about personal finance and economics posed in 2006 by researchers at the State University of New York, Buffalo.

The Economist

The pocket cams out there, for instance, can barely ape "HD". Under the correct circumstances, in good lighting and with no motion, you would look at the 720p image and think "yes, that's high definition". For the most part, though, motion is blurry, colors are mixed, edges are indistinct, and there's a weird sort of texture over the whole frame.

TechCrunch

Large surveys involving hundreds to thousands of subjects identified a single intergenic locus marked by rs7590720 that barely reached statistical significance after correcting for multiple tests (Bierut et al. 2010; Edenberg et al. 2010; Joslyn et al. 2010; Treutlein et al. 2009).

G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics

While suffering that politically correct answer, Annie could barely contain her mirth.

The New York Times

Yet when they were asked to match an object they had felt with an object seen, the average number of correct answers dropped to barely better than chance.

The New York Times - Health

You will be chomping at the bit to add your personal embellishments, barely refraining from chiming in to correct my mirepoix ratio.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "barely correct" to express that something meets the criteria for being correct by the narrowest of margins. This implies a potential for error or a lack of thoroughness.

Common error

Avoid using "barely correct" when you mean something is completely correct. The phrase implies a minimal level of accuracy, not complete accuracy.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely correct" functions as an adverb-adjective combination, modifying the degree to which something is accurate. It indicates a minimal level of correctness.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Less common in

Science

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News & Media

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Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "barely correct" is a grammatically sound expression used to describe something that is only just accurate. While it can be applicable across a range of contexts, it's important to note that Ludwig AI indicates the phrase has not been frequently observed in real-world examples at the moment. As highlighted, using alternatives like "almost right" or "nearly accurate" can offer nuanced ways to convey similar meaning. When using "barely correct", consider the degree of correctness you intend to convey and choose the most appropriate phrase for your writing to avoid misinterpretations.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

almost right

Emphasizes nearness to correctness, rather than a minimal degree of correctness.

nearly accurate

Highlights the near accuracy, differing from the bare minimum implied by the original phrase.

just about correct

Highlights the narrow margin by which something is correct.

scarcely accurate

Stresses the lack of significant accuracy.

marginally correct

Focuses on the small degree of correctness.

technically correct

Emphasizes correctness in a strict, often impractical sense.

minimally accurate

Emphasizes the slight or small extent of accuracy.

borderline correct

Indicates something is on the edge of being correct.

virtually correct

Emphasizes a close approximation to correctness, though not perfectly so.

close to correct

Simply states the proximity to being correct, without specifying the degree.

FAQs

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

You can use "barely correct" to describe something that is only just accurate or right. For instance, "His answer was "barely correct", but it was enough to pass".

What's a good substitute for "barely correct"?

Alternatives include "almost right", "nearly accurate", or "marginally correct". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "barely correct" a formal or informal expression?

"Barely correct" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding language and the overall tone of your writing.

How does "barely correct" differ from "completely correct"?

"Barely correct" means something is just accurate, while "completely correct" means it is entirely accurate. "Barely" implies a narrow margin or slight degree of correctness, unlike /s/completely+correct.