can barely eat

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "can barely eat" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone is having difficulty eating, often due to stress, illness, or lack of appetite. Example: "After hearing the bad news, I was so upset that I could barely eat for days."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

12 human-written examples

"I can barely eat.

Independent

Don can barely eat.

The New York Times - Health

— The heat and the drought are so bad in this southwest corner of Georgia that hogs can barely eat.

The New York Times

"But I can barely eat," she said.

Huffington Post

Like the rest of his family, Jun can barely eat.

Vice

Being so broke you can barely eat is normal.

Vice

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

48 human-written examples

I could barely eat or talk.

The New York Times

I could barely eat or drink.

The Guardian - Lifestyle

She could barely eat.

Huffington Post

They barely eat one meal a day.

Unicef

In 2008 Maria Isavel Vasquez Jiminez, a 17-year-old Mexican girl who was pregnant, collapsed while picking grapes and died two days later.Hungry amid foodAs Tom Joad in Steinbeck's novel discovered, many farmworkers, even as they spend their waking hours picking food for others, can barely afford to eat.

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a temporary condition like illness, "can barely eat" is appropriate. For chronic conditions, consider specifying the cause or using more precise medical terminology if available.

Common error

Avoid assuming the reason someone "can barely eat" is always due to physical illness; emotional distress, financial constraints, or external factors can also significantly impact appetite and food intake.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "can barely eat" functions as a descriptor, indicating a limited ability to perform the action of eating. Ludwig AI examples show it modifying a person or animal's capacity to consume food, often due to external circumstances or internal conditions.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Formal & Business

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "can barely eat" is a common and grammatically sound expression used to describe a state of significantly reduced food intake. Ludwig AI confirms its widespread usage across various contexts, primarily in news and media, indicating its relevance and understandability. While alternatives like "can hardly eat" exist, the original phrase effectively conveys the intended meaning, highlighting a struggle or inability to consume food adequately. When using this phrase, consider the context and potential underlying reasons for the individual's eating difficulties.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

can hardly eat

Emphasizes the difficulty in eating, similar to the original phrase but using a different adverb of degree.

struggle to eat

Highlights the effort and difficulty involved in consuming food.

find it hard to eat

Expresses the challenge and difficulty experienced when trying to eat.

have difficulty eating

A more formal way of expressing the inability to eat properly.

eat next to nothing

Emphasizes the minimal amount of food consumed.

eat very little

Focuses on the small quantity of food consumed.

have trouble eating

Similar to "have difficulty eating", focusing on the problems experienced during eating.

have a poor appetite

Highlights the lack of desire to eat, leading to reduced food intake.

barely manage to eat

Highlights the effort required to eat even a small amount of food.

can't afford to eat

Indicates a lack of financial resources to buy food, resulting in hunger.

FAQs

What does "can barely eat" mean?

The phrase "can barely eat" means that someone is having significant difficulty eating or is eating very little, often due to illness, lack of appetite, or other factors.

What are some alternative ways to say "can barely eat"?

You can use alternatives like "can hardly eat", "struggle to eat", or "have difficulty eating" to express a similar meaning.

Is it more appropriate to say "can barely eat" or "can hardly eat"?

Both "can barely eat" and "can hardly eat" are grammatically correct and convey essentially the same meaning. The choice between them often comes down to personal preference.

In what situations would someone "can barely eat"?

Someone might "can barely eat" when they are experiencing illness, dealing with emotional distress, lacking financial resources to buy food, or facing other circumstances that reduce their appetite or ability to consume food.