hardly capable of

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hardly capable of" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe someone or something that has very limited ability or capacity to do something. Example: "After the extensive training, he was still hardly capable of completing the task on his own."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

A person who was just crucified was hardly capable of convincing his witnesses that he was the risen Savior!

The Washington Post

Actually, he is a stalker, though Mr. Cera is so puppyish that he seems hardly capable of doing anything worrisome.

The New York Times

It asks us, finally, to refine our philosophy of life in order to accommodate a burden that philosophy, which presumes thought, is hardly capable of addressing.

The New York Times - Magazine

They were not alone as brilliant men, naturally creative, yet hardly capable of believing in what they might do in the poisoned dawn of concentration camps and atom bombs.

The New York Times - Books

"If the anti-riot police are not competent and lack necessary training and equipment," an official from the ministry of public security was quoted as saying, they will be "hardly capable of maintaining social peace and stability".

The New York Times

However, these approaches are hardly capable of producing optimal/near optimal solutions or require excessive computational efforts to arrive at quality solutions.

Journal of Industrial Engineering International

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

How emergency personnel, through training, prepare themselves to react quickly where the untrained might panic or freeze seems less than relevant with regard to a Congress hardly capable these days of reacting at all, much less moving rapidly enough to authorize a war under threat of nuclear attack.

The New York Times - Books

Great stuff, but hardly research capable of producing tomorrow's technological breakthroughs.

MIT Technology Review

Sheriff Branches is the lawman in King County, Tex., but he's hardly more capable of moral reasoning than Jeliza-Rose.

The New York Times - Books

Marcelo Games's Manson, a gentle-seeming hippie prone to abrupt fits of rage, hardly seems capable of inspiring the murder of five innocent people.

The New York Times

The Jets' offense has hardly been capable of long drives, having had the ball for only 23 minutes 24 seconds Sunday.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Follow "hardly capable of" with a verb in its gerund form to create a complete sentence that emphasizes the deficiency in ability.

Common error

Avoid overstating the inability. "Hardly capable of" suggests a limited capacity, not complete impossibility. Use stronger phrasing, such as "incapable of", if the subject lacks any ability whatsoever.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hardly capable of" functions as an adjective phrase modifying a noun or pronoun, expressing a limited ability or capacity. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is usable in written English and describes something with very limited ability. It can introduce the gerund form of a verb as in the examples provided.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Academia

8%

Less common in

Formal & Business

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "hardly capable of" is a common and grammatically correct phrase used to indicate a limited ability or capacity. Ludwig AI validates its usability. Predominantly found in news and scientific contexts, the phrase serves to express deficiencies or limitations, implying some ability exists, but it's insufficient. While versatile, writers should ensure the context clearly defines the limited ability. For alternative phrasings, consider options such as ""barely able to"" or "scarcely competent in".

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely able to

Emphasizes the narrow margin of ability, suggesting the subject can do something but with great difficulty.

not up to the task

Implies that someone or something does not meet the requirements or demands of a situation.

scarcely competent in

Highlights a lack of skill or proficiency in a particular area.

finding it difficult to

Indicates that something is challenging or hard to accomplish.

struggling with the ability to

Emphasizes the effort and difficulty involved in performing a task.

ill-equipped to

Focuses on the lack of resources or preparation needed for a task.

lacking the aptitude for

Stresses the absence of a natural talent or inclination.

having trouble with

A simple and direct way of saying that someone is experiencing difficulty.

not very good at

A more informal way of expressing a lack of ability or skill.

deficient in the skill of

Highlights a specific deficiency in a particular skill set.

FAQs

How can I use "hardly capable of" in a sentence?

Use "hardly capable of" to indicate a limited ability or capacity. For example, "After the accident, he was "barely able to" walk", meaning he could walk, but with difficulty.

What's a more formal way to say "hardly capable of"?

A more formal alternative is "scarcely competent in". For example, "The new recruit was scarcely competent in the required software".

Which is correct: "hardly capable to" or "hardly capable of"?

"Hardly capable of" is the correct phrasing. The preposition "of" is required after "capable" when it's followed by a gerund or noun. Using "to" is grammatically incorrect.

What's the difference between "hardly capable of" and "incapable of"?

"Hardly capable of" implies a limited ability, while "incapable of" suggests a complete lack of ability. For instance, someone "hardly capable of" running can still run a little, but someone "incapable of" running cannot run at all.