barely found

USAGE SUMMARY

"barely found" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it when you want to indicate that something was barely discovered or barely obtained. Example sentence: She had barely found the courage to speak her mind when they started to laugh.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

28 human-written examples

I barely found any of my usual contacts through the popular WhatsApp service, and only a few were on Skype.

MIT Technology Review

Zoglin enumerates the list of runways barely found on foggy flights that seem doomed midway, of German attacks just missed.

The New Yorker

"I barely found my apartment, I mean it's a forest now - trees growing through the pavement, on the roofs.

The Guardian

Almost all cannabis seized by police now comprises high-strength varieties, with outdoor-grown herbal strains and hashish barely found, according to a new analysis.

The Guardian

The Ketchup sisters, who will be touring the United States in January, have barely found time to enjoy their newfound celebrity.

The New York Times

"I got totally lost on a midnight tour," he recalled of those days, "barely found my way out before the end of my shift".

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

32 human-written examples

We celebrate heterodoxy, and I can barely find my office.

The Washington Post

In Burnbank I could barely find a trace of Stein.

The Guardian - Opinion

I can barely find words to express my sorrow and shame over this event.

The New York Times

Peruse Mrs Beeton, or even your mum's cookbooks, and you'll barely find a mention.

Independent

In J.F.K.'s waiting lounge we could barely find a place to sit.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "barely found", ensure the context clearly indicates that the finding was difficult, rare, or nearly missed. This emphasizes the significance or scarcity of what was found.

Common error

Avoid using "barely found" when you mean something was easily or readily found. The phrase should convey difficulty or near failure in the finding process.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely found" functions as a verbal phrase or adjectival phrase, modifying a noun or pronoun to describe the manner in which something was discovered. Ludwig AI highlights its use in various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

45%

Science

40%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Encyclopedias

3%

Wiki

4%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "barely found" is a versatile phrase used to indicate that something was discovered with difficulty, or nearly missed altogether. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and common usage across diverse contexts, particularly in news and scientific publications. When using "barely found", remember to convey the element of difficulty or near impossibility in the discovery. By understanding its nuances and avoiding common errors, you can effectively use this phrase to add depth and precision to your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

scarcely located

Emphasizes the rarity of finding something.

hardly discovered

Highlights the difficulty in the act of discovery.

infrequently encountered

Focuses on the rare nature of encountering something.

narrowly located

Suggests a tight margin in the finding process.

just about found

Indicates finding something by a slim margin.

virtually unfound

Highlights how close something was to not being found at all.

almost unearthing

Suggests a close call to uncovering something.

minimally detected

Indicates that something was found, but just barely.

faintly identified

Implies a weak or indistinct identification.

laboriously retrieved

Suggests effort was required to obtain the element that has been found.

FAQs

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

Use "barely found" to indicate that something was discovered or located with difficulty, or that it was almost not found at all. For example, "The missing hikers were "barely found" after days of searching."

What's a less common way to say "barely found"?

Alternatives to "barely found" include "scarcely located", "hardly discovered", or "infrequently encountered", each emphasizing the rarity or difficulty of the finding.

Is it correct to say "rarely found" instead of "barely found"?

While "rarely found" is grammatically correct, it emphasizes the infrequency of something being found, whereas "barely found" emphasizes the difficulty or narrow margin by which something was located. They're similar but have different nuances.

What is the difference between "barely found" and "newly found"?

"Newly found" indicates recent discovery, whereas "barely found" suggests the item was difficult to locate, irrespective of when the discovery happened.