barely more than

USAGE SUMMARY

"barely more than" is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use this phrase to imply that something isn't substantially greater than another quantity or amount. For example: The restaurant was only a few blocks away, barely more than a five minute walk.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

56 human-written examples

Barely more than a palmful, I'd imagine.

Independent

I mean, they're barely more than babies.

The Guardian - Opinion

By 2010, its share was barely more than one-eighth.

The New York Times

She was barely more than a teenager in 1985 when she took over her family's estate.

The New York Times - Food

Since 1951, barely more than 100 of these have been returned.

The New York Times - Arts

What also interests us is that this child was barely more than a babe.

Independent

They came at barely more than two an over, a dreadful advertisement for drop-in pitches.

Independent

"Choose?" Her answer was so hushed that it seemed barely more than an exhalation of air.

The New Yorker

Even amplified, the prophet's voice was barely more than a whisper.

The New Yorker

It sold for £6.98 million, barely more than the low estimate.

The New York Times - Arts

The path narrows sharply to barely more than the width of one train track.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "barely more than" to convey a sense of near equality or a minimal difference between two quantities or states. This is useful when the small difference is significant or surprising in the context.

Common error

Avoid using "barely more than" when the difference is actually substantial. This phrase is most effective when emphasizing how little something exceeds a certain threshold.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely more than" functions as a quantifying expression, indicating that an amount or quantity is only slightly greater than another. As Ludwig AI explains, this phrase is grammatically correct and used to convey a minimal difference.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Encyclopedias

5%

Science

5%

Less common in

Formal & Business

3%

Wiki

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "barely more than" is a versatile phrase used to express that something is only slightly greater than a specific amount or quantity. As Ludwig AI confirms, this phrase is grammatically sound and appropriate for use in written English. Its usage is especially common in news and media contexts, where it serves to emphasize minimal differences or highlight how closely something meets a particular threshold. While alternative phrases like "slightly exceeding" or "marginally greater than" exist, "barely more than" offers a clear and widely understood way to convey near equality. When writing, it's important to ensure the context reflects a truly small difference to avoid misleading the reader.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Marginally greater than

Formally indicates a small difference in quantity or amount.

Slightly exceeding

Emphasizes the marginal excess over a certain limit.

Negligibly more than

Underscores the unimportance of the greater amount.

Scarcely exceeding

Highlights the narrow margin by which something is surpassed.

Hardly surpassing

Focuses on the minimal degree of outperformance.

Minimally over

Emphasizes that the quantity is over the limit, but only just.

Just a bit over

Informal way to indicate a small margin above a given value.

A touch above

Suggests a delicate and subtle excess.

Insignificant excess of

Highlights that exceeding an amount is of very little importance.

Practically equal to

Indicates that the two amounts are almost the same with a small difference.

FAQs

How can I use "barely more than" in a sentence?

Use "barely more than" to indicate that one quantity is only slightly greater than another. For example, "The cost was "barely more than" the estimated budget" suggests the cost was very close to the estimate.

What's a more formal alternative to "barely more than"?

For a more formal tone, consider using "marginally greater than" or "slightly exceeding". These phrases provide a similar meaning but are suitable for professional or academic contexts.

Is it appropriate to use "barely more than" in academic writing?

Yes, "barely more than" is appropriate in academic writing when you need to emphasize that a quantity is only slightly greater than another. For example, "The error rate was "barely more than" 5%".

What is the difference between "barely more than" and "slightly less than"?

"Barely more than" indicates a small excess, while "slightly less than" indicates a small deficit. The choice depends on whether the quantity is above or below the reference point. If you want to convey that an amount is a small deficit you can use alternatives such as "slightly less than".