hardly exceeding

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "hardly exceeding" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something is just below a certain limit or threshold, indicating that it is not quite reaching that level. Example: "The temperature was hardly exceeding the freezing point, making it a chilly day for a walk."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Regarding the transport in multi-wall nanotubes, it is found that the electrons keep essentially propagating in the shell in which they are initially injected, with transfers to the other tubes hardly exceeding one percent of the whole current.

Carbon

This typically results in a small working distance and a narrow field of view, hardly exceeding a few hundred microns.

Biomedical Optics Express

On the other hand, consequences are that methods are required to suppress methanogenic activities (O-Thong et al. 2008a, b), and all studies with enrichments showing best performances have H2 yields hardly exceeding 2.5 mol H2/mol hexose (first four rows in Table  3).

Applied Microbiology and Biotechnology

Manton [ 14] tested minipigs in a holeboard at the ages of approximately 59, 88, and 93 days, on each occasion over 2 consecutive days with 3 training trials per day, and found the animals to have a very poor WM and RM performance, with RM performance hardly exceeding chance level.

Behavioral and Brain Functions

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

Because the blue series hardly exceeds the red series, if at all, the large majority of the reduction in unemployment has been associated with offsetting increases in people out of the labor force.

The New York Times

Since it hardly exceeds its depreciation allowance, this boodle must exceed $50 billion a year out.

Forbes

This raining season hardly exceeds 2 months around the 15th northern degree and can exceed 5 months in the extreme south of the country.

Renewables: Wind, Water, and Solar

Although in the practice of mechanical engineering, the waste of resources (energy) because of the ignorance of tribological effects hardly exceeds a single digit, this waste is estimated to be approximately one-third of the world's energy consumption, so the study and optimization of tribological process are considered to be of great importance.

Tribology and Interface Engineering Series

The distance between the northernmost historically documented populations and today's southern limit hardly exceeds 200 km.

Plosone

These daily movements involve small animals (mainly sheep and goats) and hardly exceed 5 km from the homestead.

American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene

The above results were obtained with flupirtine concentrations above therapeutic plasma levels, which hardly exceed 10 μM (Kornhuber et al., 1999).

British Journal of Pharmacology

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "hardly exceeding", ensure the context provides a clear reference point or limit to which the subject is being compared. This helps maintain precision and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid using "hardly exceeding" in casual conversation or informal writing. Its formal tone can sound stilted or unnatural in contexts where simpler language would be more appropriate.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hardly exceeding" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating the degree to which something is or is not surpassing a particular limit. It suggests that something is nearly at, but not quite reaching, a specified threshold.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

75%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

0%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "hardly exceeding" is a grammatically sound construction used to indicate that something nearly reaches, but does not surpass, a specified limit. Ludwig AI confirms its validity. It is most commonly found in scientific and formal contexts where precision is important. While correct, "hardly exceeding" should be used judiciously, avoiding it in informal situations where simpler phrasing would be more suitable. Alternatives like "barely surpassing" or "just under" may be more appropriate in some cases.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely surpassing

Replaces "hardly exceeding" with a synonym that emphasizes the narrow margin by which something surpasses a limit.

just under

Uses a simpler, more direct way to express that something is slightly below a certain level.

scarcely surpassing

Similar to "barely surpassing" but adds a nuance of infrequency.

almost not exceeding

More verbose but maintains the sense of something nearly failing to reach a limit.

rarely surpassing

Emphasizes the infrequency with which something exceeds a particular threshold.

infrequently exceeding

Another way to highlight the lack of frequency with which something surpasses a limit.

not quite reaching

A more general way to describe that something does not fully attain a certain level.

failing to surpass

Highlights the failure to exceed a certain threshold.

marginally less than

Focuses on the small difference by which something falls short of a limit.

by a hair's breadth under

An idiomatic expression emphasizing the closeness to a limit without exceeding it.

FAQs

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

You can use "hardly exceeding" to describe a situation where a value or quantity is just below a certain limit. For example: "The temperature was "hardly exceeding" the freezing point."

What are some alternatives to "hardly exceeding"?

Alternatives include "barely surpassing", "just under", or "almost not exceeding", depending on the specific nuance you wish to convey.

Is "hardly exceeding" grammatically correct?

Yes, "hardly exceeding" is grammatically correct and follows standard English grammar rules. Ludwig confirms its correct usage.

In what contexts is "hardly exceeding" most appropriate?

"Hardly exceeding" is most appropriate in formal and technical contexts, such as scientific reports or legal documents, where precision and a formal tone are valued.