is barely satisfactory

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "is barely satisfactory" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to express that something meets the minimum requirements but is not good enough or lacks quality. Example: "The results of the project are barely satisfactory, and we need to make significant improvements before the final submission."

✓ Grammatically correct

Science

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

The results illustrate AdaBoost is always a superior classifier, while, as a weak estimator, decision tree is barely satisfactory.

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

A number of classifiers have been published, but the results are barely satisfactory under low signal to noise ratios (SNRs).

EURASIP Journal on Wireless Communications and Networking

The education secretary, speaking at the London Academy of Excellence, said that for decades "the dominant consensus has been that state education in England was barely satisfactory".

BBC

The tropical heat caused problems in cooling the bomb magazines, and the food storage rooms and the ventilation proved to be barely satisfactory.

Wikipedia

The hierarchical clustering results were barely satisfactory: the fat line showed higher consistency (about 87%) than the lean (about 77%).

BMC Genomics

He is barely communicative.

The New York Times - Sports

The centromere is barely visible.

Nanoscale Research Letters

However, it is barely studied at present.

International Journal of Fatigue

That is barely intelligible.

SEP

China is barely leveraged.

Forbes

Adult children's influence is barely significant.

IZA Journal of Migration

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "is barely satisfactory", clearly identify what aspects are lacking or need improvement. This provides context and prevents ambiguity about the specific deficiencies.

Common error

Avoid using "is barely satisfactory" when the subject is actually failing or significantly deficient. This phrase implies minimal adequacy, not outright failure.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "is barely satisfactory" functions as a predicative adjective phrase. It qualifies a subject, indicating that it meets the minimum requirements but lacks excellence. Ludwig AI suggests the phrase is valid.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

Science

50%

News & Media

25%

Formal & Business

25%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "is barely satisfactory" is a phrase used to describe something that meets minimal requirements but is not exceptional. Ludwig AI confirms its grammatical correctness and usability. It is most frequently found in scientific, news, and formal business contexts, indicating a neutral to formal register. While grammatically sound, its infrequent usage suggests considering more descriptive alternatives to better convey the intended meaning or nuance. Several alternatives exist, such as "is marginally acceptable" or "is minimally adequate", depending on the specific context and desired level of formality.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

is marginally acceptable

Replaces "satisfactory" with "acceptable" and adds "marginally" to emphasize the slight degree of acceptance.

is minimally adequate

Substitutes "satisfactory" with "adequate" and uses "minimally" to convey the barely sufficient nature.

is scarcely sufficient

Replaces "barely" with "scarcely" and "satisfactory" with "sufficient" to highlight the lack of surplus.

is just adequate

Emphasizes the adequacy is at its lowest limit, using 'just' to reinforce it.

is hardly sufficient

Uses "hardly" instead of "barely" to indicate a very small degree of sufficiency.

is only just acceptable

Combines "only just" to stress how close it is to being unacceptable.

is cutting it close

An idiomatic expression implying something barely meets the requirements.

is scraping by

An idiomatic expression indicating a minimal level of success or acceptance.

is passable at best

Suggests that something is just good enough to be considered passable, but not much more.

leaves much to be desired

Indirectly indicates that something is not satisfactory and could be much better.

FAQs

How can I use "is barely satisfactory" in a sentence?

You can use "is barely satisfactory" to describe a situation, result, or performance that meets the minimum requirements but is not impressive or excellent. For example: "The project's outcome "is barely satisfactory", requiring additional work to achieve the desired standards."

What's a more formal way to say "is barely satisfactory"?

In formal contexts, consider using phrases like "is minimally adequate" or "is marginally acceptable" to convey a similar meaning with a more professional tone.

Which is correct, "is barely satisfactory" or "is barely satisfied"?

"Is barely satisfactory" describes something that meets the minimum requirements. "Is barely satisfied" describes a person who is only slightly content. The correct phrase depends on the intended meaning.

What can I say instead of "is barely satisfactory" to indicate a more negative assessment?

For a more negative assessment, consider phrases like "leaves much to be desired" or "is inadequate". These phrases indicate a stronger level of dissatisfaction or deficiency.