hardly missing

USAGE SUMMARY

"hardly missing" is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to express that something is barely missing, or that an absence of something is negligible. For example, "I had all the ingredients for the recipe, hardly missing anything."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

6 human-written examples

Senator Schumer eagerly awaits a reply, hardly missing the forest for the trees.

The New York Times

"Let's see," he said, hardly missing a beat: This place must have some kind of racket To be named Drumthwacket.

The New York Times

Hardly missing a beat, Marr tells me: "Jackie does not like the notion that she suddenly sprouted wings and became a Florence Nightingale figure".

The Guardian

Eventually she executed a bedraggled version of Salome's dance, as the pianist, Stephen Gosling, while hardly missing a note of Mr. Eaton's Expressionistic piano music, yanked off one of Salome's seven veils with his teeth.

The New York Times - Arts

Josef Brown as Johnny, the resident dance teacher who dances Baby into bed while hardly missing a step, has the brawny body of the young Patrick Swayze but not the cabbage-patch features.

The Guardian

That is hardly "missing in action".

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

50 human-written examples

They were hardly missed.

The New York Times - Sports

You could hardly miss.

The New York Times

You can hardly miss him.

The Guardian - Film

But Orlando hardly missed him.

The New York Times - Sports

His straight right hardly missed the target.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "hardly missing" when you want to emphasize that the absence of something or someone does not significantly affect the situation. For example, "The team was performing well, hardly missing their star player."

Common error

Avoid using "hardly missing" when the absence is actually quite noticeable or impactful. It's misleading to say "The project was hardly missing key resources" if the project is clearly struggling due to lack of resources.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "hardly missing" functions as an adverbial modifier, indicating the degree to which something is absent or lacking. Ludwig examples showcase this modifier in various contexts, emphasizing the near-complete or negligible nature of the absence.

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Science

0%

Academia

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "hardly missing" is a grammatically sound expression used to denote a near-complete state, suggesting an absence that is of little consequence. Ludwig's analysis indicates that the phrase functions primarily as an adverbial modifier and is prevalent in News & Media sources. As Ludwig AI explains, its primary function is to downplay a deficiency or highlight the overall sufficiency of a situation, making it suitable for situations where the absence does not significantly affect the context. Although not widely frequent, mastering "hardly missing" will help you nuanced expression and precision in your writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely absent

Focuses on the physical or metaphorical absence being minimal.

scarcely missed

Emphasizes that the absence is not felt or noticed by others.

virtually present

Highlights that something is almost present even when not physically there.

negligibly absent

Stresses the unimportance or insignificance of the absence.

almost there

Suggests nearness or close proximity, either physically or metaphorically.

effectively present

Implies that the function or effect is maintained despite the absence.

minimally lacking

Highlights that something is only slightly deficient or incomplete.

hardly nonexistent

Focuses on the presence being almost complete, countering the idea of nonexistence.

close to complete

Emphasizes the state of being nearly finished or whole.

nearly whole

Highlights the state of being almost entirely intact or complete.

FAQs

What does "hardly missing" mean?

The phrase "hardly missing" means that something or someone is barely absent or that their absence has a negligible impact. It suggests that the situation is nearly complete or unaffected despite the lack of a particular element.

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

You can use "hardly missing" to describe a situation where something is absent, but the absence is not a significant issue. For example, "The recipe was delicious, "hardly missing" the extra spice."

What are some alternatives to saying "hardly missing"?

Alternatives to "hardly missing" include phrases like "barely absent", "scarcely missed", or "virtually present". The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it correct to say "hardly missed" instead of "hardly missing"?

Yes, "hardly missed" is also a correct and commonly used phrase. It often implies that the absence of someone or something is unnoticed or inconsequential, similar to "hardly missing".