barely finished

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "barely finished" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that has just been completed, often implying that it was done with difficulty or just in time. Example: "I barely finished the report before the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

They barely finished primary school".

The Guardian

The snow has barely finished melting.

The New York Times

Germany barely finished its emissions plan in time.

The Economist

At the time of opening, Tomorrowland was actually barely finished.

The Guardian - Film

The speaker was barely finished before the mayor raised his eyebrows in mock astonishment.

The New York Times

Bathrooms are barely finished but it's gone straight into Alistair Sawday's latest guidebook.

The Guardian - Travel

By contrast, Mr. Nardelli has barely finished his first week as an automobile executive.

The New York Times

Boston barely finished above.500 in the regular season and lost a staggering number of games to horrible teams.

The New York Times - Sports

The mayor had barely finished speaking when a panel truck filled with plywood backed into the warehouse.

The New York Times

In this marathon of an election campaign, Malcolm Turnbull and Bill Shorten have barely finished their stretches.

The Guardian

Our selection just pipped the $15-a-head 15-a-head 15-a-head finished two-thirds of it.

The Guardian - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "barely finished," consider the tone you wish to convey. It can imply a sense of relief, inadequacy, or urgency, depending on the context.

Common error

Avoid using "barely finished" in situations where a more positive or neutral description is appropriate. Overusing it can make your writing sound consistently negative or critical.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely finished" functions primarily as an adverbial modifier indicating the degree or extent to which an action was completed. As Ludwig AI states, the phrase is correct and usable in written English. This implies that the completion was achieved by a narrow margin.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "barely finished" is a versatile adverbial modifier frequently used to emphasize the marginal or last-minute nature of a completion. As Ludwig AI confirms, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used in English. With a neutral register and a strong presence in news and media, it conveys a sense of relief, urgency, or inadequacy depending on the context. Related phrases like "scarcely completed" or "hardly completed" offer similar nuances, while understanding common errors like overuse helps refine writing. When something is described as "barely finished", it suggests a task completed with difficulty, just in time, or with minimal resources.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

scarcely completed

Replaces "finished" with "completed", emphasizing the minimal nature of the accomplishment.

hardly completed

Uses "hardly" instead of "barely", conveying a similar sense of near incompleteness.

just ended

Focuses on the recent ending of something, similar to "barely finished".

newly done

Highlights the newness of the completion, implying a very recent finish.

freshly concluded

Emphasizes the recency of the conclusion or ending of an event or task.

virtually untouched

Shifts focus to the lack of substantial progress or change after a brief finishing touch.

just finalized

Emphasizes the finality of the action and the immediate timeframe in which it occurred.

almost untouched

Highlights how close something was to not being started before completion.

negligibly concluded

Uses 'negligibly' to stress the minimal extent of completion or impact.

only just completed

Adds the phrase 'only just' for emphasis, highlighting the recent and perhaps tenuous nature of the completion.

FAQs

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

You can use "barely finished" to indicate something that has just been completed, often with difficulty or just in time. For example: "I "barely finished" the report before the deadline."

What are some alternatives to "barely finished"?

Alternatives include "scarcely completed", "hardly completed", or "just ended" depending on the specific context you want to convey.

Is there a difference between "barely finished" and "almost finished"?

"Barely finished" implies that something was completed with great difficulty or at the last moment, while "almost finished" suggests that something is close to completion but not quite there yet. They highlight different aspects of the completion process.

When is it appropriate to use "barely finished" in writing?

It's appropriate when you want to emphasize the narrow margin by which something was completed, or to convey a sense of relief or near failure. For example, if someone "barely finished" a marathon, it indicates that they struggled and completed it with very little energy to spare.