hardly active

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hardly active" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone or something that is not very active or is only slightly active. Example: "Despite being a member of the gym, she has been hardly active in her workouts lately."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

8 human-written examples

The GP may play a central role in promoting physical activity to this hard-to-reach target group, namely hardly active or sedentary, chronically ill and mobility-limited older adults.

BMC Public Health

Surprisingly, when phosphoUb was used as the only source of Ub in the reaction, Parkin was hardly active and did not form polyUb. Parkin showed very low activity with 0 or 100% phosphoUb, but polyUb chain generation was triggered by small amounts of phosphoUb in the reaction.

EMBO Journal

Using functional magnetic resonance imaging, the scientists found that the anterior temporal cortex became more active when the volunteers knew their celebrity well, but was hardly active at all in a Polish volunteer who was shown a photograph of John Major, the prime minister from 1990 until 1997.

The Guardian

Not listless, exactly, but hardly active.

Huffington Post

He also made Flores, who was hardly active, miss badly on most of his punches.

Los Angeles Times

This assay could not be used with 4,6-αGT-ML4 as it is hardly active with maltose.

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

52 human-written examples

It hardly absorbs active power from the grid, or only consumes a little active power to overcome losses in system and maintain the constant voltage in dc capacitor.

Protection and Control of Modern Power Systems

Smoltz (12-7) hastifleded hitters for 19 seasons, but hardly any active player has suffered against him to the degree Wright has.

The New York Times - Sports

Though Eliot was influenced by Goethe, her forebears tend to be cultural rather than novelistic: she admired Thomas Carlyle ("there is hardly an active mind of this generation that has not been modified by Carlyle's writings") and Ruskin, while Middlemarch shows the influence of new Darwinian ideas about evolution.

The Guardian - Books

That's because Facebook's list was mostly based on vaguely described "recommendations", and hardly on active users.

TechCrunch

Being complacent is hardly conducive to active critical reflection on one's complacency.

Nature

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing a subject as "hardly active", ensure the context clearly defines what constitutes 'activity' in that specific situation.

Common error

Avoid using "hardly active" when the subject is completely inactive. "Hardly active" suggests some minimal level of activity, whereas 'inactive' implies none at all.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hardly active" functions primarily as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to indicate a low level of activity. Ludwig examples demonstrate its use in describing people, biological processes, and market conditions.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

Science

38%

News & Media

50%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "hardly active" is used to describe a state of low activity or engagement and Ludwig AI confirms it is grammatically correct. It functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying nouns to indicate a minimal level of action. While not overly formal, it is suitable for diverse contexts, including science, news, and business. When using "hardly active", ensure it aligns with the intended meaning, as it implies some activity, albeit minimal, unlike its counterparts "inactive" or "dormant". The most reliable sources using this phrase are generally news outlets and scientific publications.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely active

Implies a minimal level of activity, very close in meaning to "hardly active".

scarcely active

Similar to "hardly active", suggesting infrequent or minimal activity.

almost inactive

Focuses on the near absence of activity.

minimally active

Highlights the small amount of activity present.

relatively inactive

Indicates inactivity compared to a previous or expected state.

not very active

A more straightforward and common way to express low activity.

infrequently active

Emphasizes the lack of frequent activity.

rarely active

Stresses the infrequency of being active.

largely passive

Shifts the focus to a state of passivity rather than a lack of activity.

somewhat dormant

Suggests a temporary state of reduced activity or suspension of activity.

FAQs

What does "hardly active" mean?

The phrase "hardly active" means someone or something is not doing much or is showing very little activity.

What can I say instead of "hardly active"?

Alternatives to "hardly active" include "barely active", "scarcely active", or "almost inactive" depending on the nuance you want to convey.

How do I use "hardly active" in a sentence?

You can use "hardly active" to describe a person, a process, or even a place: "The patient has been hardly active since the surgery". Or: "The market is hardly active this time of year".

Is "hardly active" the same as "not active"?

"Hardly active" implies some minimal level of activity, while "not active" suggests no activity at all. The difference is subtle but important for accuracy. Therefore consider "inactive" if there's no activity.