barely suffered

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "barely suffered" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone experienced very little suffering or hardship. Example: "Despite the challenges, she barely suffered during the difficult times."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

He (and Franklin Roosevelt) barely suffered the general's antics.

The New York Times - Books

Though he navigated ably through the turbulence of the global financial crisis (Israel barely suffered a recession), growth has been accompanied by high levels of inequality, for which Mr Netanyahu, a free marketeer, is often blamed.

The Economist

I've barely suffered any withdrawal symptoms, I don't feel any sense of loss, and I've certainly not found it any harder to enjoy parties or talk to women without a phone in my hand (and I say that as someone who not long ago started dating a flight attendant after I tweeted about her on a plane. Seriously: I had a problem).

TechCrunch

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Making it even more convenient, squid is one of those rare seafoods whose quality barely suffers from freezing.

The New York Times - Food

Protect and die A magnetic hippodrome A cricket box ReprintsWhen averages for one-day international matches are recalculated using this system, batsmen from the top of the order, such as Brian Lara, a recently retired West Indian genius, barely suffer.

The Economist

Both Figures 4A and 5 clearly demonstrate that while the SPECT signal barely suffers from attenuation in this phantom, the fluorescence signal of the uniformly distributed dye (CyAL-5.5b) is decreasing with depth.

EJNMMI Research

False colour images of the plates representing Fs/Fm values confirm that WT seedlings barely suffer under the applied Tox concentration while cycam1-1 and cycam1-2 do.

BMC Plant Biology

Apple's (barely) suffers from copycats and the vagaries of manufacturing.

TechCrunch

Mr Madoff barely ever suffered a down month, even in choppy markets (he was up in November, as the S&P index tumbled 7.5%).

The Economist

He barely slept, suffered frequent memory lapses and would burst into a rage at the slightest provocation.

Los Angeles Times

This time, the industry has suffered barely a scratch.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "barely suffered" to convey that someone or something experienced minimal negative impact or hardship, emphasizing the slightness of the suffering. For example: "The company barely suffered losses during the recession."

Common error

Avoid using "barely suffered" when the situation actually involved significant hardship. It's crucial to accurately reflect the level of impact experienced. Saying someone "barely suffered" when they went through substantial difficulties can diminish their experience and mislead your audience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely suffered" functions as a qualifier to describe the extent of suffering experienced. According to Ludwig, it indicates a minimal degree of hardship or negative impact. It is often used to contrast with situations where significant suffering might have been expected.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "barely suffered" is a grammatically sound expression used to indicate a minimal degree of hardship or negative impact. According to Ludwig AI, it’s considered correct and usable in written English. While not extremely common, occurring with “Uncommon” frequency across various sources, it's found primarily in news, science, and formal business contexts. The phrase is suitable for neutral register, effectively communicating a slight or almost nonexistent negative experience. Alternatives include "scarcely experienced" and "hardly endured". Use "barely suffered" to highlight resilience or downplay severity, but avoid it when the situation involved significant hardship. In summary, "barely suffered" is a useful phrase for conveying the limited nature of a negative experience, provided it's used accurately and appropriately.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

scarcely experienced

This alternative emphasizes the limited degree of experience, focusing on the infrequency or slightness of the suffering.

hardly endured

This alternative highlights the minimal amount of hardship that was tolerated or withstood.

lightly affected

This suggests that the impact or influence was not significant, implying a mild experience.

minimally impacted

This alternative focuses on the small degree of influence or consequence that occurred.

almost unscathed

This emphasizes that the person or thing emerged from a potentially damaging situation with very little harm.

slightly affected

Highlights the low impact that a person or thing suffered

practically untouched

Emphasizes how the person or thing was barely affected at all.

narrowly avoided suffering

This alternative highlights the fact that someone almost suffered but did not, implying a close call.

marginally affected

This implies that the effect was so small that it was almost insignificant.

virtually unaffected

Stresses the insignificance of the impact, suggesting that the subject remained largely unchanged.

FAQs

What does "barely suffered" mean?

The phrase "barely suffered" means that someone or something experienced a minimal amount of hardship, damage, or negative impact. It implies that the suffering was slight or almost nonexistent.

What can I say instead of "barely suffered"?

You can use alternatives like "scarcely experienced", "hardly endured", or "lightly affected" to convey a similar meaning.

Is it grammatically correct to say "barely suffered"?

Yes, the phrase "barely suffered" is grammatically correct and commonly used in written and spoken English to indicate a minimal experience of hardship or negative consequences.

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

You can use "barely suffered" to describe a situation where someone or something experienced very little suffering. For example: "Despite the challenges, the community "barely suffered" thanks to the rapid response efforts."