barely halfway through

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "barely halfway through" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone or something is only partially completed, often with an implication of difficulty or struggle to progress further. Example: "After two hours of the movie, we were barely halfway through the plot, and I was starting to lose interest."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

General Contexts

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

20 human-written examples

She is barely halfway through the onion when the knife slips and slashes her finger.

The New Yorker

And today, barely halfway through her four-year term, Thailand looks like a different country.

The New York Times

It looked as if the contest might become a shootout when the Eagles grabbed a 2-1 lead barely halfway through the first period.

The New York Times - Sports

Formerly known as Lasix, now called Salix, furosemide leaches calcium out of equine bones that in 2- and 3-year-olds are barely halfway through their remodeling stages.

The New York Times

He was barely halfway through when the empress signalled a factotum to bring her torture to an end and stop the lecture.

The Guardian - Books

I'm barely halfway through Underground -- I'm currently escaping an SS lair -- and I've already seen many things I've rarely seen in games.

The New York Times - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

40 human-written examples

"Halfway through," I thought.

Huffington Post

If your first thought when seeing this live text was "They're doing the draw for the next World Cup but we're barely over halfway through Euro 2016 qualifying?!" then you're not alone.

BBC

(There are several documentaries, too). But the uprising and its suppression barely get us halfway through the story.

The New York Times - Books

Kimi Raikkonen barely made it halfway through his opening lap on his return with Ferrari when he was forced to grind to a halt.

Independent

Those are just a few highlights from March -- and we're barely more than halfway through the month.

Huffington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "barely halfway through" to emphasize that progress is slow or less than expected. For example, "The project is "barely halfway through", and the deadline is approaching fast."

Common error

Avoid using "barely halfway through" when the task is actually near completion. This phrase indicates a state of minimal progress, not near completion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely halfway through" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb. It describes the extent to which an action or process has been completed. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, the phrase is grammatically correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

65%

Sport

15%

Academia

10%

Less common in

Formal & Business

5%

Science

3%

Wiki

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "barely halfway through" is a common and grammatically correct expression used to indicate minimal progress in a task or process. Ludwig AI confirms its usability across various contexts. It’s often found in News & Media, sports reporting, and general conversational settings. While generally neutral in tone, it can convey frustration or concern about the slow rate of completion. Remember to use it when you truly mean that progress is minimal and to consider alternatives like "scarcely at the midpoint" for variety.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hardly at the midway point

Uses "hardly" instead of "barely", maintaining a similar level of progress.

scarcely at the midpoint

Replaces "barely halfway" with "scarcely at", emphasizing minimal progress.

just past the beginning

Focuses on the minimal amount of progress made from the starting point.

only a fraction of the way

Highlights that only a small portion of the task has been completed.

not even close to the middle

Highlights how the task is in an initial stage with negative connotations.

a small portion completed

Indicates that the task is not very developed yet, and the amount completed is still less than what's expected.

little more than started

Emphasizes that the action has only just commenced and is far from finished.

slightly beyond the start

Focuses on the small amount of progress that has occurred, from the origin point.

in the initial stages

Indicates that the progress is being made, but still in the beginning.

just begun

Indicates that progress has started, but a lot is missing to achieve the goal.

FAQs

How can I use "barely halfway through" in a sentence?

Use "barely halfway through" to indicate that something is only partially completed, often implying slow progress. Example: "We're "barely halfway through" the book, and it's due tomorrow!"

What does "barely halfway through" imply?

It implies that something is not yet completed, with more work remaining than what has been done. It also suggests that progress might be slower than expected.

What are some alternatives to "barely halfway through"?

Alternatives include phrases like "scarcely at the midpoint", "just past the beginning", or "only a fraction of the way", depending on the specific context.

Is "barely halfway through" considered formal or informal?

The phrase "barely halfway through" is generally considered neutral and can be used in both formal and informal contexts.