barely successful

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "barely successful" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation or outcome that achieved only minimal success or just met the required standards. Example: "The project was barely successful, as it only met half of its initial goals."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

He managed to make make it through his remarks but, between a malfunctioning microphone and the raucous din from his detractors, he was barely successful at communicating to those in the audience who came to hear his take on the legislation currently before the Congress.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

Functional groups have been found to be barely tolerated, successful polymerization requiring the use of particular initiators.

Polymer

Just barely more successful was the Dallas Cowboys' 2003 hiring of Bill Parcells, a two-time Super Bowl winner, to a four-year, $17 million deal.

Forbes

After all, there is barely a successful adult who doesn't wax poetic on their assholish behavior in childhood with pride.

Huffington Post

Many see the plan as a thinly veiled attempt to funnel money from the (barely) more successful Tesla to SolarCity, which is struggling under changes to state subsidy policies, increasing competition and a business model that prioritizes growth over profits, which is also potentially outdated due to its reliance on leasing the panels over buying them outright.

HuffPost

"I barely know any successful architects who don't work for authoritarian regimes," Matzig said.

The New Yorker

The two saxophonists, who have about a 40-year gap between them, appear in a reprise of a very successful and barely noticed recording they made three years ago.

The New York Times

This survey was conducted on apps that ran the gamut of popularity, from wildly successful to barely breaking three figures.

TechCrunch

Some of the most successful could barely string a proper sentence together.

HuffPost

Freeman asked her if she thought that her appeals would be successful, and Niveen, barely able to speak, said, "Just don't remind me".

The New Yorker

Even successful artists could barely afford a studio, much less a vacation home.

The New York Times - Travel

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "barely successful", ensure the context clearly indicates the limited nature of the achievement and any contributing factors. For example, 'The marketing campaign was "barely successful", generating only a slight increase in sales despite significant investment'.

Common error

Avoid using "barely successful" when the achievement was substantial. Using it in such cases can undermine the accomplishment and mislead the audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely successful" functions as a descriptive adjective phrase. It modifies a noun, indicating the degree of success achieved. As Ludwig AI confirms, it describes a situation or outcome that achieved only minimal success.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

30%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "barely successful" is a grammatically sound and commonly used adjective phrase to describe something that achieved only a minimal level of success. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, it's suitable for various contexts, including news, science, and formal business settings. Alternatives like "marginally successful" or "hardly successful" can be used to convey similar meanings, though the nuance might differ. When using the phrase, ensure that the context clearly indicates the limited nature of the achievement, and avoid using it when the success was more substantial.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hardly successful

Mirrors "barely successful", highlighting that success was achieved with significant difficulty or is minimal.

minimally successful

Focuses on the small degree of success, synonymous with "barely successful".

marginally successful

Indicates a slightly higher degree of success than "barely successful", suggesting a small margin of accomplishment.

just successful

Highlights that success was attained, but only by a slim margin.

scarcely successful

Emphasizes the difficulty in achieving success, similar to "barely successful" but with more stress on the struggle.

scantly successful

Suggests that the quantity or degree of success is small, mirroring "barely successful".

somewhat successful

Suggests a moderate level of success, a more positive connotation than "barely successful".

faintly successful

Indicates a very slight or weak degree of success.

nominally successful

Suggests a success in name only, often implying that the outward appearance of success is not matched by reality.

barely adequate

Shifts the focus from success to adequacy, implying a minimal level of acceptability or sufficiency.

FAQs

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

Use "barely successful" to describe situations where an effort achieved minimal success. For instance, "The experiment was "barely successful", yielding only a few usable data points."

What are some alternatives to "barely successful"?

Alternatives include "marginally successful", "hardly successful", or "minimally successful", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "barely successful" a negative phrase?

Yes, "barely successful" generally carries a negative connotation, indicating a lack of significant achievement. It implies that the outcome was achieved by a narrow margin or with considerable difficulty.

When should I avoid using the phrase "barely successful"?

Avoid using "barely successful" when the achievement was actually significant or impressive. Using it inappropriately can diminish the perceived value of the accomplishment and confuse your audience.