barely reach

USAGE SUMMARY

"barely reach" is a correct and usable part of a sentence in written English.
You can use it to describe a difficulty in reaching something or doing something. For example, "I can barely reach the top shelf."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

59 human-written examples

Growth will barely reach 1% in 2014.

The Guardian - Business

Adult clothing styles barely reach beyond the Edwardian era.

The New York Times - Arts

Many clinics, though, barely reach the federal minimum.

The New York Times

You can just barely reach it from the edge of the stage.

The New Yorker

He could barely reach the pedals, but he sure knew how to hit the gas.

The New York Times

When it is weaker, it may barely reach the Long Island Expressway.

The New York Times

"He could barely reach the pedals, but he played with every adult nuance you'd ever want.

The New York Times

The numbers coming through resettlement schemes barely reach into the low thousands each year.

The Guardian

When pitches lack life, the former Yankee Mike Mussina would say, they seem to just barely reach the catcher.

The New York Times - Sports

But I'm not going to carry on if I start coming fifth, sixth and seventh and barely reach 17 metres.

The Guardian - Sport

The advocacy group said the region would barely reach one-third of its goals unless stricter controls were enforced.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "barely reach" to effectively convey a sense of limitation or struggle in attaining a goal or physical point. For instance, "The company's profits barely reach the break-even point."

Common error

Avoid using "barely reach" when you mean to express complete failure to reach. "Barely" indicates a minimal level of success, not complete absence. If there is no attainment at all, use alternatives like "fail to reach" or "never reach".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely reach" functions as a verb phrase, typically used to describe the act of attaining something with considerable difficulty, often implying a minimal or insufficient degree of success. Ludwig AI confirms its correct grammatical usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

44%

Science

20%

Wiki

9%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Formal & Business

3%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "barely reach" is a grammatically sound and frequently used expression to indicate that something is achieved with difficulty or that a minimum threshold is met. Ludwig AI confirms its proper usage. It appears predominantly in contexts such as News & Media, Science and encyclopedias, and maintains a neutral register. When using "barely reach", ensure that you are accurately conveying the intended sense of limitation and not implying complete failure. Alternatives like "scarcely attain" or "hardly achieve" may be suitable depending on the specific context.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

scarcely attain

Replaces "reach" with "attain", emphasizing the difficulty in achieving something.

hardly achieve

Emphasizes the difficulty in achieving something, similar to "barely reach".

narrowly make

Focuses on the narrow margin by which something is reached or achieved.

just manage to get to

More verbose, highlighting the effort involved in reaching a destination or goal.

only just extend to

Specifically refers to physical extension with minimal margin.

faintly connect with

Emphasizes a weak or tenuous connection, implying a lack of full reach.

inadequately extend to

Highlights the insufficiency of the reach.

fall just short of

Focuses on the failure to completely reach a target.

come close to reaching

Highlights the near miss, emphasizing the proximity to the goal.

marginally access

Focuses on the limited access or connection achieved.

FAQs

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

You can use "barely reach" to describe a situation where something almost doesn't happen or a limit is just reached. For example, "The top of the painting was so high, I could "barely reach" it."

What are some alternatives to the phrase "barely reach"?

Alternatives include "scarcely attain", "hardly achieve", or "narrowly make", depending on the specific context.

Is it correct to say "poorly reach" instead of "barely reach"?

While "poorly reach" might seem similar, it doesn't quite capture the nuance of "barely reach". "Poorly" suggests a lack of skill or quality, whereas "barely" indicates a minimal level of success or attainment. Using "poorly reach" could confuse the reader.

What's the difference between "barely reach" and "nearly reach"?

"Barely reach" suggests that something was achieved with difficulty and by a small margin, while "nearly reach" implies that the goal was almost achieved but ultimately not reached. They convey different outcomes.