hardly arrived

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hardly arrived" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that someone has just arrived, but not long enough to have made a significant impact or change in the situation. Example: "She had hardly arrived at the party when the music started playing."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

7 human-written examples

He cannot, perhaps, be blamed for such voraciousness, because his success has hardly arrived overnight.

Independent

Mr. Galotti hardly arrived at the top of the media kingdom by dint of birth or lineage.

The New York Times

SAN FRANCISCO — When Jennifer Contreras went to see her new physician, she had hardly arrived in the waiting room before she was called in — by the doctor herself.

The New York Times - Health

You've hardly arrived when you see a film of Loie Fuller's 1897-99 "DanSerpentineIIe (II)." In this the performer is never static; the billowing lines she makes with her costume are in perpetual change.

The New York Times - Arts

However, it is found that the reservoir-release water hardly arrived at the habitat area due to the transmission losses.

Journal of Hydrology

Rivers said the Clippers had hardly arrived, even after putting together their most impressive back-to-back victories while resembling the team many had expected to see earlier this season.

Los Angeles Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

53 human-written examples

edited by Andrew S Crines and Kevin Hickson, could hardly arrive at a better time.

The Guardian - Opinion

A novel about a man who lives in a parallel world making his living counseling the downsized could hardly arrive -- land -- at a more apt time, in this season of dot-coma and summer-air-travel hell.

The New York Times - Books

"But I could hardly arrive at my daughter's college without some physical evidence that I had made some effort, and there's the pressure of not letting down my daughter, who now has vastly more formal education than I ever had".

The New York Times

Snapchat's new lobbyists could hardly arrive at a better time.

Huffington Post

Given the slim pickings on offer, MIFF's bounty of local content (including 10 films that had their world premieres during the festival) could hardly have arrived at a better time.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "hardly arrived", ensure the context makes it clear that the lack of time since arrival is relevant to the situation being described. For instance, emphasize subsequent events or lack of impact due to the short timeframe.

Common error

Avoid using "hardly arrived" when simply stating that someone has arrived without implying a short duration or lack of impact. If the timing isn't essential, use a more direct phrase like "just arrived".

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hardly arrived" functions as an adverbial modifier indicating the timing of an event in relation to someone's arrival. It emphasizes that very little time has passed since their arrival, suggesting a recent or immediate action, according to Ludwig.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

13%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "hardly arrived" is a grammatically correct expression used to emphasize the brief duration between someone's arrival and a subsequent event. As Ludwig AI suggests, it is used to highlight immediacy, surprise, or minimal impact due to the recent arrival. While considered neutral in register, it appears more frequently in news articles and reports than in formal scientific writing or casual conversation. Remember to use "hardly arrived" when the timing of the arrival is crucial to understanding the context; otherwise, opt for simpler alternatives like "just arrived". Its uncommon frequency indicates it should be used deliberately to achieve the desired emphasis.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely arrived

Emphasizes the narrow margin of time before something else happened.

scarcely arrived

Similar to "barely arrived", highlighting how little time has passed since the arrival.

just arrived

A more straightforward way to state that someone or something has recently arrived.

newly arrived

Focuses on the state of being new after arriving.

recently arrived

Indicates that the arrival happened in the near past.

had only just arrived

Emphasizes the short duration since arrival using a past perfect construction.

had barely gotten there

Focuses on reaching a destination with little time to spare.

had scarcely gotten there

Focuses on reaching a destination with little time to spare and it's more formal.

only just got there

Similar to "just arrived" but with a slightly different emphasis on the action of getting to a place.

virtually arrived

Changes the meaning to "almost arrived" instead of focusing on recent arrival.

FAQs

How can I use "hardly arrived" in a sentence?

Use "hardly arrived" to emphasize that someone has just reached a place, and very little time has passed since. For example, "She had "hardly arrived" at the meeting when it was adjourned."

What's the difference between "hardly arrived" and "just arrived"?

"Just arrived" simply states that someone has recently arrived. "Hardly arrived" emphasizes the short duration since arrival and often implies that not much could happen or change in the brief time since. Compare with the related phrase "barely arrived".

What can I say instead of "hardly arrived"?

You can use alternatives like ""barely arrived"", "scarcely arrived", or "newly arrived" depending on the context.

Is "hardly arrived" formal or informal?

"Hardly arrived" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both formal and informal contexts, although it is more frequently found in writing than in casual conversation.