barely escaped

USAGE SUMMARY

"barely escaped" is a correct and commonly used phrase in written English.
It is typically used to describe a close call or a narrow escape from a dangerous or difficult situation. Example: The hiker barely escaped the avalanche that swept down the mountain.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

They barely escaped unharmed.

The New Yorker

Edward himself barely escaped.

Encyclopedia Britannica

His wife barely escaped.

The Washington Post

Ms. Walker barely escaped herself.

The New York Times

Charles II barely escaped with his life.

Encyclopedia Britannica

She barely escaped up a staircase.

The New York Times

Today we barely escaped death.

The New Yorker

Tiger Woods barely escaped defeat.

The New York Times - Sports

William E. Kepner, barely escaped by parachute.

Encyclopedia Britannica

"We barely escaped with our lives".

The New York Times

(Freud himself barely escaped the Nazis.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When writing about a near miss, use "barely escaped" to vividly convey the precariousness of the situation. For example: "The city "barely escaped" the worst of the hurricane."

Common error

While appropriate in news and general writing, in highly formal or academic papers, consider alternatives like "narrowly avoided" or "scarcely averted" to maintain a more sophisticated tone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely escaped" functions as a verb phrase within a sentence, typically modifying a noun or pronoun to indicate a near miss from a dangerous or undesirable situation. Ludwig AI confirms that the phrase is correct and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

63%

Encyclopedias

17%

Academia

6%

Less common in

Wiki

4%

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "barely escaped" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to describe a narrow avoidance of danger or an undesirable outcome. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a correct and widely used phrase. Analysis of usage patterns reveals its prevalence in news and media, as well as encyclopedic and academic contexts. While its register is generally neutral, more formal alternatives may be preferable in certain academic or professional settings. The phrase effectively conveys the precariousness of a situation and the good fortune involved in averting it. When crafting your content, use "barely escaped" when you want to emphasize how close someone or something came to experiencing a negative outcome.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely avoided

Similar to "barely escaped" but emphasizes avoidance rather than escape.

narrowly avoided

Focuses on the act of avoiding something with very little margin for error.

just managed to evade

Highlights the effort and management involved in avoiding a situation.

had a close call

Emphasizes the nearness of the danger or negative outcome.

squeaked through

An informal term suggesting a tight and perhaps unexpected escape.

scarcely averted

A more formal way of saying that something negative was almost not prevented.

only just survived

Highlights the survival aspect, implying a life-threatening situation.

dodged a bullet

An idiomatic expression emphasizing the avoidance of a significant danger or problem.

slipped through the net

Suggests escaping a system or process designed to catch or prevent something.

came close to

Focuses on how near the negative outcome was without explicitly stating an escape.

FAQs

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

"Barely escaped" is used to describe a situation where someone or something narrowly avoided a negative outcome. For example, "The team "barely escaped" defeat thanks to a last-minute goal."

What can I say instead of "barely escaped"?

You can use alternatives like "narrowly avoided", "just managed to evade", or "squeaked through" depending on the context.

Which is correct, "barely escaped" or "scarcely escaped"?

Both "barely escaped" and "scarcely escaped" are grammatically correct and have similar meanings. "Barely escaped" is more common in contemporary usage.

What's the difference between "barely escaped" and "narrowly avoided"?

While similar, "barely escaped" implies that one was already in a dangerous situation and managed to get out, whereas "narrowly avoided" suggests that one managed to prevent the dangerous situation from happening in the first place.