barely half of all

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "barely half of all" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a quantity is just over 50% of a total amount, often implying that it is a small or insufficient portion. Example: "In the recent survey, barely half of all participants expressed satisfaction with the service provided."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

15 human-written examples

Barely half of all students finish high school.

The Economist

Barely half of all men are able to work beyond the current state pension age.

The Guardian

Although the law supposedly guarantees it, barely half of all asylum seekers in France have access to accommodation.

The Guardian

Barely half of all Spaniards back the two parties that have governed for three decades: the ruling People's Party (PP) of Mariano Rajoy or the opposition Socialists.

The Economist

There, blacks account for 6 in 10 residents, but those born in the United States make up barely half of all residents.

The New York Times

Barely half of all young men and women are screened for high LDL, the so-called bad cholesterol, a new study has found.

The New York Times - Health

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

45 human-written examples

Because South Africa's treatment and reporting programs for tuberculosis are notoriously poor — barely half of TB patients are cured — virtually all experts contend the true rate of infection is greater.

The New York Times

Moreover, our finding that p38MAPK activity, but not Smad4, is required for HoCC indicates that targeting of this phenomenon may be applied in all pancreatic cancers and not only in the barely half of patient with unmutated Smad4/DPC4 gene.

EMBO Molecular Medicine

Sales in 2009 could be barely half of that.

The Economist

Barely half of Florida's high-school seniors were graduating.

The New Yorker

It had been selling barely half of its weekly print run of around 60,000.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "barely half of all", ensure that the context clearly indicates what the 'all' refers to. This avoids ambiguity and strengthens the clarity of your statement.

Common error

Avoid assuming that "barely half of all" automatically implies a negative outcome. The context determines whether this quantity is sufficient or deficient.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely half of all" functions as a quantifier, specifying an amount or proportion that is slightly more than 50% of a given total. According to Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and used in formal writing. Examples in Ludwig demonstrate its use in describing statistics and proportions across various contexts.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

25%

Wiki

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Encyclopedias

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "barely half of all" is a quantifier indicating an amount slightly exceeding 50% of a total. Ludwig AI confirms it's grammatically sound and common in news and scientific contexts. While it expresses a proportion just above the midpoint, it often carries an implication of being minimally sufficient or inadequate. When writing, ensure the context clarifies the reference of 'all' and avoid assuming it inherently implies a negative situation. Alternatives like "slightly more than half of all" can offer subtle shifts in emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

scarcely over half of all

Replaces "barely" with "scarcely" to retain a sense of just exceeding the halfway point.

hardly more than half of all

Emphasizes the small margin over half using "hardly more than".

slightly more than half of all

Replaces "barely" with a more explicitly positive quantifier, emphasizing the amount is slightly above half.

just over half of all

Uses "just over" to indicate a small margin above half.

a little more than half of all

Adds "a little" for further emphasis on the slight excess.

marginally over half of all

Emphasizes the slim margin by using "marginally".

a bare majority of all

Replaces numerical reference with "bare majority" for a simplified expression.

a slim majority of all

Replaces numerical indication with the concept of a slim majority.

fractionally above half of all

Highlights the fractional nature of the amount exceeding half.

a shade over half of all

Uses the idiom "a shade over" to denote a slight increase.

FAQs

What does "barely half of all" mean?

It means that something is slightly more than 50% of the total amount. It implies that the quantity is just over the halfway point, sometimes suggesting it's a minimal or insufficient amount.

How can I use "barely half of all" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe proportions. For instance, "Barely half of all students passed the exam", indicating that a little more than 50% achieved a passing grade.

What are some alternatives to "barely half of all"?

Alternatives include "slightly more than half of all", "just over half of all", or "a little more than half of all", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "barely half of all" different from "less than half of all"?

Yes, "barely half of all" means slightly more than 50%, while "less than half of all" indicates anything below 50%. They represent opposite sides of the halfway point.