barely survive

USAGE SUMMARY

"barely survive" is a perfectly correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation in which someone or something is barely able to stay alive or functioning. For example, "The small business barely survived the economic recession."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

People "barely survive one wife," LaBute said.

The New York Times - Magazine

Bond and Galore barely survive by parachuting to safety.

Encyclopedia Britannica

The six Russian-speaking dive centres are busy, whereas the other 60 or so barely survive.

The Economist

"My family can barely survive on what we earn," she said.

The New York Times

Ms. Knightley's oddly callow version could barely survive in the high school corridors of "Mean Girls".

The New York Times

But manufacturers say they can barely survive now and higher energy prices will only make things worse.

The New York Times

These plants can grow on culture medium containing 200 μM arsenate, whereas the wild type can barely survive under this condition.

Journal of Plant Physiology

I can barely survive even though the government here talks about how good the economy is doing".

The New York Times

She picked up "enough concerts to barely survive, which I think when you are young is fine".

The Guardian - Music

Down the road in Rockingham, Heath Stevens, 42, was taking pictures of a covered bridge that appeared to barely survive the floods.

The New York Times

Most of the nearly 19m Malagasies barely survive off tiny plots of land for which they often hold no title, growing rice in the old way.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "barely survive" to emphasize the precariousness of a situation or the minimal margin by which someone or something avoids failure or death. It's effective when highlighting resilience under difficult circumstances.

Common error

Avoid using "barely survive" in situations where the challenge isn't life-threatening or extremely difficult. Reserve it for scenarios involving genuine hardship or significant risk to maintain its impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "barely survive" functions primarily as a verb phrase. It typically modifies a noun or pronoun, indicating the subject's state of narrowly avoiding failure, death, or cessation. Examples from Ludwig illustrate its use across diverse contexts.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

61%

Science

16%

Formal & Business

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

2%

Reference

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "barely survive" is a common and grammatically sound verb phrase used to depict situations where someone or something narrowly avoids failure or cessation. As Ludwig AI confirms, its use is widespread across various contexts, particularly in News & Media, Science, and Formal & Business domains. The phrase effectively conveys a sense of struggle and precariousness. Related phrases like ""scrape by"" or ""hardly make it"" offer similar but nuanced alternatives. When using "barely survive", it's important to reserve it for situations involving genuine hardship or significant risk to maintain its impact and avoid overuse. Remember this useful word choice tip, and you will master the usage of this common phrase.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

just get by

Emphasizes the minimal level of achievement or sustenance.

struggle to exist

Directly addresses the difficulty and effort required for survival.

scrape by

Suggests managing to live or operate on very limited resources.

barely scrape through

Combines the idea of minimal success with overcoming a challenge.

hardly make it

Focuses on the difficulty and uncertainty of success, emphasizing a slim chance.

hang on by a thread

Illustrates a precarious situation with a high risk of failure.

eke out an existence

Implies a meager and laborious way of living.

limp along

Conveys slow and difficult progress, often due to damage or weakness.

narrowly escape

Highlights the avoidance of a negative outcome by a small margin.

manage by the skin of one's teeth

Emphasizes a very close call and a fortunate outcome.

FAQs

What does it mean to "barely survive"?

To "barely survive" means to only just manage to stay alive or continue to exist, often in a difficult or precarious situation.

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

You can use "barely survive" to describe individuals, businesses, or even ecosystems that are struggling to continue existing. For example, "The small business "just got by" during the recession."

What are some alternatives to "barely survive"?

Some alternatives include "scrape by", "just get by", or "hardly make it", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "barely survived"?

Yes, "barely survived" is the past tense form and is perfectly correct. For example, "They "narrowly escaped" the flood."