have hardly been

USAGE SUMMARY

'have hardly been' is correct and usable in written English.
You can use it to describe a situation that has scarcely happened or that has been rare or infrequent. For example: She had hardly been to the park since she was a child.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Foreigners have hardly been spared.

The New York Times

Those restrictions have hardly been a deterrent.

The Washington Post

Her female colleagues have hardly been supportive.

The Guardian - Opinion

Executives at Handelsblatt have hardly been idle.

The New York Times

The Huskies have hardly been a surprise.

The New York Times - Sports

Still, combinations of the above areas have hardly been explored.

European Journal of Operational Research

However, such processes have hardly been investigated comprehensively.

Computers & Chemical Engineering

And there have hardly been any women collectors".

The Guardian - Film

But there have hardly been any key sessions here.

Independent

And the court's decisions have hardly been uniformly conservative.

The New York Times

But the current talks on unity have hardly been felicitous.

The New York Times

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "have hardly been" to express that something has occurred to a very small extent or with low frequency. Ensure the context clearly indicates a sense of scarcity or near absence.

Common error

Avoid using "have hardly been" when you mean something has not happened at all. "Hardly" implies a small degree of occurrence, not complete absence. If something hasn't happened, use "have not been" instead.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "have hardly been" functions as a modifier indicating the degree to which an action or state has occurred. It suggests a minimal or infrequent occurrence. According to Ludwig, the phrase is grammatically correct and widely used.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

69%

Science

27%

Formal & Business

2%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Social Media

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "have hardly been" is a grammatically sound and commonly used expression to indicate that something has occurred to a minimal extent or with low frequency. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's a valid and useful part of the English language, appearing frequently in diverse sources such as news media and scientific publications. To ensure accurate usage, remember that "hardly" implies a small degree of occurrence, not complete absence, and consider replacing it with alternatives like "have scarcely been" or "have rarely been" for nuanced meaning.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

have scarcely been

Replaces 'hardly' with 'scarcely', emphasizing the minimal amount or degree.

have rarely been

Substitutes 'hardly' with 'rarely', focusing on the infrequency of occurrence.

have seldom been

Uses 'seldom' instead of 'hardly', highlighting the infrequent nature of the action or state.

have barely been

Replaces 'hardly' with 'barely', stressing that something has only just occurred or exists to a minimal extent.

have almost not been

Emphasizes the near absence of something, indicating it nearly did not happen or exist.

have infrequently been

Replaces 'hardly' with 'infrequently', directly addressing the lack of frequency.

have virtually not been

Indicates something is practically non-existent or has nearly not happened.

have negligibly been

Suggests that something has occurred to such a small degree as to be insignificant.

have nominally been

Implies something exists in name only, with little to no real impact or presence.

have ostensibly not been

Indicates something appears not to have happened or existed, possibly masking the true situation.

FAQs

How can I use "have hardly been" in a sentence?

Use "have hardly been" to indicate that something has occurred to a very small extent or very infrequently. For example, "The effects of this policy "have hardly been" studied."

What are some alternatives to "have hardly been"?

Alternatives include "have scarcely been", "have rarely been", or "have barely been". The best choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What is the difference between "have hardly been" and "have not been"?

"Have hardly been" suggests something has occurred to a minimal extent, while "have not been" indicates it hasn't occurred at all. For instance, "They "have hardly been" mentioned" means they were mentioned a little, whereas "They have not been mentioned" means they weren't mentioned at all.

Is "have hardly been" formal or informal?

"Have hardly been" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. Its appropriateness depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and sentence structure.