barely indicate

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "barely indicate" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used when you want to express that something is only slightly or minimally suggested or shown. Example: "The results of the survey barely indicate any significant trends in consumer behavior."

✓ Grammatically correct

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The whereabouts of the paintings are barely indicated.

The Guardian - Arts

The head is disproportionally large; the face is flat, with the features barely indicated.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Necks are barely indicated; the faces have deep-set eyes, long pointed noses, and massive chins.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The barely indicated knees bemuse; given a chair jammed up to the picture plane, they should protrude into the room.

The New Yorker

Susan Ecker reduces landscape to its essentials in "Wetland White," an almost skeletal treatment of reeds and marsh grass in counterpoint to a barely indicated shoreline.

The New York Times

In a swift sketch with brown ink, Cain kneels on his supine, terrified brother, whose barely indicated face is eerily specific, like that of someone you dimly remember.

The New Yorker

These days, I'd argue that LOL (commonly without caps) barely indicates an internal, silent chuckle, never mind an uproarious, audible guffaw.

Independent

By far the most confident of the performers was the Peking opera star Wu Hsing-Kuo, who portrayed the Yin-Yang Master; he was a joy to watch, his face communicating shades of pain, regret, fleeting joy, and wry wit that were barely indicated in the score.

The New Yorker

Finally, tests of potential publication bias barely indicated the possibility of publication biases.

BMC Ophthalmology

Error bars, barely visible, indicate the 95% confidence interval.

Computational Social Networks

It is well known in the field that although the full length N protein is easily detected in western blots of wild type embryonic extract, Nintra is barely detectable indicating that the wild type N expression does not lead to promiscuous Nintra production.

Plosone

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "barely indicate" when you want to convey that there's only a slight or minimal suggestion of something, without strong evidence or certainty.

Common error

Avoid using "barely indicate" when the evidence actually supports a stronger conclusion. If the data strongly suggests something, opt for phrases like "clearly show" or "strongly suggest" to accurately reflect the level of certainty.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely indicate" functions as a qualifying verb phrase. It modifies the verb "indicate" to express that something is suggested only to a small degree. In essence, it suggests something is subtly hinted at, but not definitively proven.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Science

0%

News & Media

0%

Formal & Business

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Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "barely indicate" is a grammatically sound and versatile expression used to convey a minimal level of suggestion or indication. Since there are no examples for this search term to analyse it further, one may consider alternatives such as "scarcely suggest", "hardly imply" or "weakly suggest". Its appropriateness spans across various contexts where cautious and nuanced language is valued. The absence of examples underscores the importance of understanding its proper usage to avoid overstating the strength of the implication.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

scarcely suggest

Implies an even weaker indication than "barely indicate".

hardly imply

Similar to "scarcely suggest", focusing on the lack of strong implication.

weakly suggest

Directly describes the indication as being weak.

faintly point to

Emphasizes the subtle nature of the indication, like a faint signal.

marginally suggest

Highlights that the suggestion is only just above the threshold of being noticeable.

slightly imply

Indicates a minor level of implication.

hint at

Suggests an indirect or subtle indication.

give a slight indication of

A more verbose way of expressing a minimal indication.

offer a subtle clue to

Focuses on the indication as being a clue, implying a hidden meaning.

suggest in a limited way

Highlights the restricted scope or strength of the suggestion.

FAQs

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

"Barely indicate" is used to show something is only slightly suggested. For example, "The initial results "barely indicate" any change in consumer behavior".

What are some alternatives to "barely indicate"?

Alternatives include "scarcely suggest", "hardly imply", or "weakly suggest", each implying a minimal level of indication.

Is it better to say "barely indicate" or "clearly indicate"?

The choice depends on the strength of the evidence. Use "barely indicate" when the evidence is weak or minimal, and use "clearly indicate" when the evidence is strong and convincing.

What does "barely indicate" imply about the evidence?

It implies that the evidence is not strong enough to draw a definitive conclusion. The findings are only suggestive, requiring further investigation.