barely differing from

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "barely differing from" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe two things that are very similar, with only slight differences between them. Example: "The two designs are barely differing from each other, making it difficult to choose one over the other."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

Although almost half of the nitrogen was stored in the stems, the reflectance values were primarily influenced by the foliage, with reflectance values from the remaining stems and cobs barely differing from that of bare soil.

Field Crops Research

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

… Travel is inexpensive … because you won't need a return ticket!" Never mind the tastelessness, or the inferior production values, the activities listed barely differ from those in Isis's own propaganda.

The Guardian

In formulation as in sound, the funerary memento barely differs from the inscriptions engraved in Arabic more than a thousand years later as Islam began spreading in Arabia and far beyond.

The New York Times - Arts

Mitt Romney's claim that "if Barack Obama gets re-elected, Iran will have a nuclear weapon" is purely cynical; his own prescription for "crippling sanctions" and "military options" barely differs from Mr. Obama's policy.

The New York Times

Bored Elon suggests occasionally funny, absurdist products and services — a "TV that automatically turns on subtitles when it recognizes by your facial expression that you're having troubling hearing dialogue" — but the joke seems to be that these farcical speculations barely differ from ideas like the Hyperloop.

The New Yorker

A transcript of the President's speech later published by the country's International Information Committee barely differed from Mr Blair's words, saying: "These are questions of democracy and human rights, which must be properly addressed and have energy devoted to them.

Independent

Her views on leaving the EU, on immigration barely differ from those of Tory Eurosceptics.

BBC

For pteridine, the solubility of log S = 0.02 was measured by CheqSol and reported in Palmer et al. [37] Two reports from Albert et al. in the 1950's of solubility of "one part pteridine with 7.2 or 7 parts water" have been translated by Yalkowsky et al. into molar units to give log S = − 0.02 and − 0.03, respectively, and hence barely differ from the CheqSol result [73 75].

Journal of Cheminformatics

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Vice

But if Williamson has a shot, it is not be due to a platform she admits barely differs from that of her opponent.

Huffington Post

After adjusting for the full model (model 4), the 1995 1999 cohort only barely differed from the non-diabetic population (RR 1.41; CI 1.04 1.92).

Cardiovascular Diabetology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "barely differing from" when you want to emphasize that two things are almost the same, with only very minor distinctions. It's useful for downplaying differences in comparisons.

Common error

Avoid using "barely differing from" when there are significant or important distinctions between the items being compared. This phrase is best suited for highlighting similarities, not major differences.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely differing from" functions as a comparative phrase, indicating a minimal difference between two entities. Ludwig AI shows it often appears when describing things that are very similar, emphasizing the lack of significant distinction. It can highlight subtle nuances or downplay potential variations.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

54%

Science

38%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "barely differing from" serves to express a comparison with an emphasis on similarity and minimal distinction. Grammatically correct and versatile, it is found across various contexts, including news, scientific, and formal writing. Ludwig AI underscores its function in highlighting subtle nuances while downplaying potential variations. When using this phrase, ensure that the differences truly are minor to avoid misrepresenting the comparison. Alternatives like "hardly distinguishable from" or "almost identical to" can be used for similar effect, depending on the precise nuance intended.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hardly distinguishable from

Emphasizes the difficulty in noticing any difference.

almost identical to

Highlights the near sameness of the compared items.

virtually the same as

Indicates that any differences are negligible.

scarcely different from

Stresses the small degree of variation.

marginally distinct from

Suggests a minor level of separation.

nominally different than

Implies the difference is more in name than in substance.

barely distinguishable from

Focuses on the limited ability to tell the items apart.

only slightly varying from

Directly states that the changes are minimal.

not significantly unlike

Highlights the lack of major dissimilarities.

resembling closely

Stresses the high degree of similarity in appearance or nature.

FAQs

What does "barely differing from" mean?

The phrase "barely differing from" means that two or more things are almost the same, with only very small or insignificant differences.

How can I use "barely differing from" in a sentence?

You can use "barely differing from" to compare items and emphasize their similarities, for example: "The two models are "virtually the same", barely differing from each other in performance."

What are some alternatives to "barely differing from"?

Alternatives include "hardly distinguishable from", "almost identical to", or "scarcely different from". Choose the one that best fits the context.

When is it appropriate to use "barely differing from"?

It's appropriate to use "barely differing from" when the differences between two things are so minor that they are almost negligible. Avoid using it when there are significant or important distinctions.