just surpassing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "just surpassing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that something is only slightly exceeding a certain level or standard. Example: "The team's performance this season is just surpassing our expectations, showing steady improvement."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

5 human-written examples

It performed miserably, scraping into parliament with 4.2% of the vote, just surpassing the 4% needed to qualify for seats.

The Guardian

BEIJING — There are approximately as many Catholics in the world as Chinese — over 1 billion each, with 1.3 billion Chinese just surpassing the world's 1.2 billion Catholics.

The New York Times

Images come in such fast, superb succession that one can't tell whether the author is mixing metaphors or just surpassing them in mid-sentence.

The New Yorker

By the year 2012, the EU's share was down to 19.2%, that of the US to 19.5%,4 while China's had risen to roughly 15%.5 Looking at Asia as a whole, the continent's share of global GDP increased from less than one quarter (23.2%) in 1990 to 38.8%255 years later (2014), just surpassing the combined output of the EU and the US in 2012 (38.7%).

European Journal of Futures Research

Former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton was named the most admired woman with 9percentt of respondents, just surpassing the 7percentt who chose former first lady Michelle Obama.

Huffington Post

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Obrist just surpassed eight hundred posts.

The New Yorker

Cash seemed paramount with Ms. Martins, whose revenue at Seibel's has just surpassed $1 million a year.

The New York Times

With the metropolitan area population having just surpassed one million, Nashville is booming.

The New York Times - Travel

The new bank's stockmarket value of over €65 billion ($83 billion) would just surpass that of UniCredit.

The Economist

National health care costs in 1970 had just surpassed $70 billion, less than three times Kaiser's total budget today.

The New York Times

The way the Pacers are putting him on the line, O'Neal might just surpass Jordan's mark.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Combine "just surpassing" with specific numerical data or percentages to highlight the precise extent of the margin. This adds clarity and impact to your statement.

Common error

Avoid using "just surpassing" when the amount exceeded is substantial or significant. This phrase is best suited for marginal differences; otherwise, it can undermine the impact of the achievement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "just surpassing" functions as an adverbial modifier, specifically modifying a verb or verb phrase to indicate the degree to which something exceeds a certain point. As Ludwig AI points out, it's used to highlight a narrow margin.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

10%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "just surpassing" is a phrase used to convey that something is slightly exceeding a given limit or standard. Ludwig AI identifies the phrase as grammatically correct and usable in written English. It functions as an adverbial modifier and is most frequently found in news and media contexts. While versatile, it's important to use it when the margin is genuinely small to avoid misrepresentation. Consider alternatives like "slightly exceeding" or "barely exceeding" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely exceeding

Emphasizes the narrow margin by which something is surpassed.

slightly exceeding

Indicates a small degree of surpassing, maintaining a neutral tone.

marginally exceeding

Highlights the small difference between the achieved value and the threshold.

narrowly exceeding

Stresses the closeness of the margin by which something surpasses.

scarcely exceeding

Implies that the level of surpassing is minimal and almost insignificant.

hardly exceeding

Suggests the act of surpassing something is achieved by a minimal amount.

only just exceeding

Uses "only just" to emphasize the minimal margin of surpassing.

inching past

Uses 'inching' to suggest a slow and gradual progress of surpassing.

creeping over

Uses 'creeping' to suggest a slow and subtle surpass.

nosing ahead of

Uses 'nosing' to suggest a competition scenario and to convey the act of surpassing by a small margin.

FAQs

What does "just surpassing" mean?

The phrase "just surpassing" means that something is only slightly exceeding a particular level, standard, or quantity. It emphasizes that the margin by which something exceeds is minimal.

How can I use "just surpassing" in a sentence?

You can use "just surpassing" to describe a situation where something has barely exceeded a limit. For example, "The company's profits are "just surpassing" last year's earnings by a small percentage."

What are some alternatives to "just surpassing"?

Alternatives to "just surpassing" include "slightly exceeding", "barely exceeding", or "marginally exceeding". The choice depends on the specific context and the nuance you wish to convey.

Is it appropriate to use "just surpassing" in formal writing?

Yes, "just surpassing" can be used in formal writing, especially when you need to accurately describe a small or insignificant margin. However, ensure that the tone aligns with the overall formality of the document.