narrowly

USAGE SUMMARY

'narrowly' is a correct and usable word in written English.
It is used to describe something that is only just true, or just enough for a particular outcome. Example sentence: He narrowly passed the test, barely receiving the required score to pass.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Sport

Politics

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

A November report by a British thinktank noted a rise in close military encounters between Russia and the west this year, including "violations of national airspace, emergency scrambles, narrowly avoided mid-air collisions, close encounters at sea, simulated attack runs and other dangerous actions happening on a regular basis over a very wide geographical area".

The Guardian

The northern Victorian seat was won narrowly by the independent Cathy McGowan over the Liberal frontbencher Sophie Mirabella.

The Guardian

Before the debate, most of our focus group expected David Cameron to win narrowly "because he's best at debates".

The Guardian

And yet, in the 1970s, Thistle were only narrowly defeated on a vote for Scottish League membership in their own right by Ferranti, later Meadowbank, Thistle.

The Guardian - Sport

The Los Angeles sisters beat Justin Timberlake, who had been narrowly ahead in the midweek chart, to the top.

The Guardian - Music

The restlessness of youth, the landscape of the north, parents, class, the 1984 miners' strike (over long before she was born), and peripheral glimpses of the animal world are some of the poetic concerns of a collection that never becomes parochial or narrowly autobiographical.

The Guardian - Books

On polling day, with a 93% turnout, Quebec narrowly voted 50.5% to 49.5% to remain a Canadian province.

The Guardian

Alban Maginness, the SDLP candidate, narrowly beat the former IRA bomber Gerry Kelly into second place in the assembly elections.

The Guardian

With violence surging in eastern Ukraine and EU-Russia relations getting ever chillier, Moscow threatened to quit the Council of Europe, the Strasbourg-based human rights body which has nothing to do with the EU, after the council's parliamentary assembly, grouping MPs from the member states, voted narrowly to strip Russia of its voting rights.

The Guardian

There was an early hint of the frustration ahead for United when, in the 35th minute, a low drive from Darron Gibson went narrowly wide.

The Guardian - Sport

But from that point, to listen in to the conversation a court's permission would have to be sought, he insisted, adding that the process applied only "very narrowly to leads that we have obtained on issues related to terrorism or proliferation of weapons of mass destruction".

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "narrowly" to convey precision when describing outcomes or situations where the margin of difference is significant. For example, "The bill narrowly passed the Senate" emphasizes the importance of each vote.

Common error

Avoid using "narrowly" in situations where the outcome wasn't genuinely close or significant. Overusing it can dilute its impact. Consider stronger adverbs if the situation warrants it.

Linguistic Context

The primary grammatical function of "narrowly" is as an adverb, modifying verbs, adjectives, or other adverbs to indicate the manner in which an action is performed or a state exists. Ludwig AI indicates the word is both correct and usable.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Sport

25%

Politics

25%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "narrowly" is a versatile adverb used to describe situations where outcomes are achieved by a small margin or barely avoided. As Ludwig AI confirms, it’s grammatically sound and widely applicable. It's frequently used in news, sports, and politics. While its usage is common, remember to use it where the small margin is significant to avoid diluting its impact. Consider alternatives like "by a small margin" or "just barely" for nuanced expression.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

only just

Simple and direct way of expressing a close call or minimal achievement.

by a small margin

Emphasizes the smallness of the difference or advantage.

just barely

Indicates that something was achieved with minimal effort or resources.

by a hair's breadth

Highlights how close something was to not happening or being different.

scarcely

Implies that something is only just the case or achieved.

by the skin of one's teeth

Suggests an extremely close escape or success.

with little room to spare

Highlights the lack of extra space or resources.

in a limited way

Focuses on the restriction or constraint involved.

almost but not quite

More explicit about the near miss or incomplete success.

in a tight manner

Implies a limited or restricted approach.

FAQs

How can I use "narrowly" in a sentence?

"Narrowly" is typically used to indicate that something was achieved by a small margin or that something was avoided by a small distance. For example, "He "narrowly escaped" the accident" or "The bill "narrowly passed" the vote".

What are some alternatives to the word "narrowly"?

Alternatives to "narrowly" include phrases like "by a small margin", "just barely", or "by the skin of one's teeth", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What's the difference between "narrowly" and "closely"?

"Narrowly" implies a small margin of difference or a near miss, while "closely" suggests proximity or careful attention. You might say someone "narrowly avoided" an accident, but that they were "closely monitoring" the situation.

Is it correct to say "narrowly won" or "won narrowly"?

Both "narrowly won" and "won narrowly" are grammatically correct, but "won narrowly" is more common and natural-sounding in most contexts. The choice depends on the emphasis you want to place.