even if barely

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "even if barely" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is true to a minimal extent or degree, often in a context where the speaker wants to emphasize that even a small amount is still significant. Example: "She managed to finish the project on time, even if barely."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Wiki

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

Second, the dodo lived on Mauritius, a remote oceanic island -- a recipe for disaster when hungry seafarers were looking for an easily procured, even if barely palatable, piece of meat.

The New York Times - Science

Bioactivity, even if barely detectable, is evident even for the proteolytic fragment of recombinant human ChM-I (rhChM-I), which lacks most of domain 1. (11) Hence, domain 2 plays a crucial role in the anti-angiogenic activities of ChM-I.

Cancer Science

Generally speaking, it's one thing to have the skill to play songs that are above your level and pass (even if barely), but if your legs give out before the song is even over, then focus on stamina.

WikiHow

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

You may not have heard of Perform Sports, but the sports media company supplanted ESPN in digital video viewership in November — even if just barely — according to comScore's November rankings.

TechCrunch

This was just a phase and even if you barely passed, congratulations still.

WikiHow

In fact, Blue Origin just pulled off a successful landing a little less than a month ago (even if it just barely stuck its nose into "space" by going just over 100 km — about 60 miles— up from the surface).

Vice

And there's a lot of it, even if it barely resonates.

The New York Times

It's about making the most of the time you have, even if you barely have any.

The New York Times

Danie Rossouw's stupid kick at the All Black captain, Richie McCaw, was an inelegant act, even if he barely connected.

Independent

If you leave your guide book behind and stand a drink or two, it's easy to make friends, even if you barely speak the language.

BBC

But he went out of his way to suggest that the law, even if it barely cleared the constitutional bar, did not seem like a good idea.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "even if barely" to introduce a condition that is met to a minimal extent, emphasizing that even a small degree is still relevant or impactful. For example, "The project was completed on time, "even if barely"", suggests it was a close call, but the deadline was still met.

Common error

Avoid using "even if barely" when a stronger emphasis is needed. If the condition is more significant than 'barely', opt for phrases that reflect the true extent, such as "even if only slightly", or "even if with difficulty", to ensure the tone accurately conveys the intended meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "even if barely" functions as a concessive conjunction phrase. It introduces a condition that exists to a minimal extent, but does not prevent the main clause from being true. Ludwig AI confirms this is correct, showing many examples where this phrase is used in this way.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Wiki

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "even if barely" is a grammatically correct and usable conjunction phrase that introduces a condition that exists to a minimal extent. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's used to acknowledge a limitation while affirming the main statement. Its neutral register allows for use in various contexts like News & Media, Science, and Wiki sources, despite being relatively uncommon overall. When using this phrase, ensure it accurately conveys the intended minimal emphasis and avoid substituting it in situations requiring a stronger qualifier. Ludwig's alternatives like "even if only just" or "even if scarcely" can help to vary your phrasing while maintaining a similar meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

even if only just

Replaces "barely" with "only just" maintaining the sense of a narrow margin or minimal extent.

even if scarcely

Substitutes "barely" with "scarcely", emphasizing the limited or insufficient nature of the condition.

even if only slightly

Replaces "barely" with "only slightly", highlighting a small degree or change.

even if minimally

Uses "minimally" instead of "barely", focusing on the minimal impact or occurrence.

even if just a little

Rephrases "barely" to "just a little", providing a more informal and simpler alternative.

even if hardly at all

Emphasizes the near absence of something using "hardly at all" instead of "barely".

even with minimal effect

Shifts the focus to the effect being minimal, rather than the action itself being barely sufficient.

even if almost not

Replaces "barely" with "almost not", stressing the condition is close to non-existent.

even if by a hair's breadth

Uses an idiomatic expression to convey the narrow margin or close call.

even if to the slightest degree

Replaces "barely" with the more formal "to the slightest degree", indicating a minimal quantity or amount.

FAQs

How can I use "even if barely" in a sentence?

Use "even if barely" to show something is true to a minimal extent, but still relevant. For example: "He passed the test, "even if barely"" means he nearly failed but still passed.

What are some alternatives to "even if barely"?

Alternatives include "even if only just", "even if scarcely", or "even if only slightly", depending on the nuance you want to convey.

Is it grammatically correct to use "even if barely"?

Yes, "even if barely" is grammatically correct. It functions as a conjunction phrase, connecting two parts of a sentence to indicate a condition that is minimally met.

What's the difference between "even if barely" and "even if not"?

"Even if barely" implies a minimal degree, while "even if not" suggests complete absence. For instance, "He finished the race, "even if barely"" means he almost didn't finish, but did. "He finished the race, even if not" would not make logical sense in this context.