is barely readable

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is barely readable" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe text that is difficult to read due to poor handwriting, formatting, or other factors. Example: "The note he left was so smudged that it is barely readable."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

"Most are barely readable, illiterate bits of marketing," he concedes.

The New York Times

"It was barely readable, with just a phone number".

The New York Times

I shake my head over the absence of music examples – the picturesque reproductions of Handel's manuscripts are barely readable.

The Guardian - Books

He went to see the original in the National Archives, he said, but it was so washed out by prolonged lighting that it was barely readable.

The New York Times - Tech

This and other subtle yet crucial moments in MacMillan's spellbinding choreography were barely readable at this performance, for someone in the lighting booth must have fallen asleep at the switch after they dimmed the chandeliers at the glittering ball chez Capulet.

Huffington Post

To reduce the icon size so that it's barely readable, tap and hold the app until it begins to wiggle again.

WikiHow

Although in common use, SBML has the shortcoming that it is barely human readable.

BMC Genomics

They'll see that it is hardly readable".

Vice

He is barely communicative.

The New York Times - Sports

The centromere is barely visible.

Nanoscale Research Letters

That is barely intelligible.

SEP

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing the readability of text, consider the specific cause of the difficulty. Is it the handwriting, the font, the complexity of the language, or the physical condition of the document? Being specific enhances clarity.

Common error

Avoid using "is barely readable" when the text is completely illegible. Reserve it for situations where some effort allows a reader to understand the text, however difficult it might be. Use alternatives like "illegible" or "unreadable" if there's no possibility of discerning the meaning.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is barely readable" functions as a descriptive adjective phrase. It qualifies a noun, indicating the degree to which something can be read or understood. Ludwig AI confirms that the expression is grammatically sound and commonly used.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

37%

Science

35%

Formal & Business

12%

Less common in

Wiki

8%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "is barely readable" is a descriptive adjective phrase used to express that something is extremely difficult to read, though not entirely impossible. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is grammatically sound and commonly used across diverse contexts, including news, science, and formal documents. While "is barely readable" is acceptable in various settings, ensure it accurately represents the state of the text; if it's truly illegible, alternatives such as "unreadable" are more appropriate. When using this phrase, providing context about why something is difficult to read enhances clarity.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is scarcely readable

Replaces "barely" with "scarcely", indicating a similar level of difficulty in reading.

is hardly readable

Substitutes "barely" with "hardly", suggesting a slightly stronger sense of difficulty.

is almost unreadable

Indicates the text is nearing the point of being impossible to read.

is difficult to decipher

Focuses on the effort required to understand the text.

is tough to make out

Highlights the visual challenge of distinguishing the text.

is faintly legible

Emphasizes the faintness of the writing, making it hard to read.

is poorly written

Shifts the focus to the quality of writing as the cause of difficulty.

is badly formatted

Points to formatting issues that hinder readability.

is tough to follow

Highlights the difficulty in understanding the flow of the text.

is nearly indecipherable

Indicates that the text is very difficult to understand or interpret.

FAQs

What does it mean when something "is barely readable"?

When something "is barely readable", it means that it is extremely difficult to read, but not entirely impossible. This could be due to poor handwriting, faded ink, a small font size, or damage to the document.

What can I say instead of "is barely readable"?

You can use alternatives like "is scarcely readable", "is hardly readable", or "is almost unreadable", depending on the context.

How do you use "is barely readable" in a sentence?

You can use "is barely readable" to describe anything from handwriting to printed text. For example: "The old manuscript was so faded that the writing is barely readable." or "His handwriting is so messy that his notes are barely readable."

What's the difference between "is barely readable" and "is unreadable"?

"Is barely readable" means something is very difficult to read, but still possibly discernible. "Is unreadable" means that it is impossible to read or understand the text.