barely nothing

USAGE SUMMARY

"barely nothing" is not correct English.
The correct way to express this idea is "almost nothing". Example sentence: She had barely money left; it was almost nothing.

⚠ May contain grammatical issues

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

I survived with barely nothing.

The Guardian

Sandy DeRisi has owned the Barely Nothing boutique in Huntington Station for nearly three decades and is on the verge of retirement.

The New York Times

There will be barely nothing left in some parts of the country, and individuals will be digging ever deeper into their own pockets for social care support". NHS spending currently makes up one sixth of all public spending, but the coalition has not yet quantified how much extra spending on the NHS it would allow year on year.

The Guardian

The result was that my work took a quantum leap -- going from barely nothing to a global business in just over a year.

Huffington Post

Don't just do this because you feel like you'd be cool if you went around the world with barely nothing in your pocket.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

'You're taking from us when we barely have nothing as it is.'.

Vice

When I ask her what she is thinking, she looks at me with sunken eyes and barely utters "Nothing".

Huffington Post

"You're taking from us when we barely have nothing as it is," he told VICE News by phone from Milwaukee.

Vice

She said she was paid nothing, barely fed and was beaten if her work was not satisfactory.

The New York Times

Asked by the interviewer what he thinks of his ballet director, Urin responds, with barely disguised contempt, "Nothing but work connects me to Filin".

The New Yorker

But he never witnessed its truly transcendent power until he began teaching painting nine years ago to severely physically disabled students -- people paralyzed in wheelchairs, exiled from a world that assumes those who can barely communicate have nothing to say.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Avoid using "barely nothing" in formal writing. Opt for grammatically correct alternatives like "almost nothing" or "hardly anything" to maintain clarity and credibility.

Common error

Be careful not to create double negatives. "Barely" already implies a small quantity; adding "nothing" creates a confusing and incorrect statement. Instead of saying "barely nothing", specify what is nearly absent, for example: "They had "barely any" resources."

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely nothing" functions as an attempt to express a minimal quantity or degree. However, it is grammatically incorrect as flagged by Ludwig AI, because it creates a double negative effect. Thus, use cases should be avoided in favor of correct alternatives.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Wiki

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Science

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "barely nothing" is an attempt to convey the idea of something being almost nonexistent, but is grammatically incorrect. As Ludwig AI points out, it's better to opt for phrases like "almost nothing" or "hardly anything" for clarity and grammatical correctness. Although the phrase appears in some news and media sources, its usage is rare and should be avoided in formal writing. Always aim for precise and accurate language to effectively communicate your intended meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Almost nothing

Replaces "barely" with "almost" to convey a similar sense of near-zero quantity or significance.

Hardly anything

Uses "hardly" instead of "barely", emphasizing the scarcity of something.

Virtually nothing

Substitutes "barely" with "virtually", indicating that something is so close to nothing as to be practically nonexistent.

Practically nothing

Replaces "barely" with "practically", suggesting that something is, for all intents and purposes, nonexistent.

Scarcely anything

Employs "scarcely" in place of "barely", highlighting the minimal amount or degree of something.

Next to nothing

Uses a more figurative expression to mean a very small amount or degree.

Close to zero

Shifts the expression to a more mathematical or quantitative perspective.

A negligible amount

Emphasizes the insignificance of the quantity or degree.

A trifling quantity

Highlights the triviality or unimportance of the amount.

An insignificant quantity

Focuses on the lack of significance or importance of the amount.

FAQs

Is "barely nothing" grammatically correct?

No, "barely nothing" is not considered grammatically correct in standard English. It's better to use phrases like "almost nothing" or "hardly anything".

What does "barely nothing" mean?

While not grammatically correct, "barely nothing" attempts to convey the idea of something being almost nonexistent or present in a very small quantity. Use more appropriate phrases such as "virtually nothing" or "practically nothing" instead.

Can I use "barely nothing" in informal conversations?

While it might be understood in some informal contexts, it's generally best to avoid "barely nothing" even in casual speech due to its grammatical incorrectness. Opt for clearer alternatives like "next to nothing".

What are some alternatives to "barely nothing"?

Some alternatives to "barely nothing" include "almost nothing", "hardly anything", "virtually nothing", and "practically nothing". These phrases accurately express the intended meaning of near absence or insignificance.