only just able to

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "only just able to" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone is barely able to do something, indicating a minimal level of ability or success. Example: "After a long day at work, I was only just able to finish my report before the deadline."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Academia

Wiki

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

11 human-written examples

They were only just able to scramble on board.

The New York Times

Its foreign-currency reserves are only just able to cover this.

The Economist

Fortunately, we were only just able to meet our budget, thanks to the large amount of scrap we managed to acquire at the Emerson Lab.

Cornell University

Buchan described the novel as a "shocker" – an adventure so unlikely that the reader is only just able to believe that it could really have happened.

The Guardian - Books

Simon almost fell over as he wriggled out of his tight jeans — he was only just able to catch himself on Lara, who was impatiently tugging at the hooks on her bra.

The New Yorker

Perhaps it was the slightly too on-the-nose reference to W. H. Auden's "Musée des Beaux Arts" that I was only just able to prevent myself from making ("how everything turns away / Quite leisurely from the disaster").

The New Yorker

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

49 human-written examples

The visitors dominated large swathes of the game, but were only able to convert that into just the one goal.

BBC

We regret that we could not start rebuilding sooner but we were only just recently able to raise the requisite funds.

HuffPost

But this is something disabled people have only just been able to experience, and it's the EU that has ensured disabled passengers will get the assistance they need from transport operators.

The Guardian - Opinion

Pebble smartwatches have been hitting doorsteps for a little while now, but my colleague Darrell Etherington and I have only just been able to join the party.

TechCrunch

The current crop of ultra-large container vessels can navigate the Suez - just - but they are only able to dock at a handful of the world's ports.

BBC

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "only just able to" to convey a sense of narrow success or capability, indicating that the subject barely managed to achieve the action. It adds a nuance of difficulty or near failure, making the achievement more impactful.

Common error

While "only just able to" is grammatically correct, it can sound slightly informal. In highly formal writing, consider alternatives like "barely able to" or rephrasing the sentence to use stronger, more direct language.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "only just able to" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a verb to indicate the extent or degree of ability. Ludwig confirms its correct usage, showing it commonly precedes an infinitive verb (e.g., "only just able to meet").

Expression frequency: Uncommon

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Academia

20%

Wiki

10%

Less common in

Science

10%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "only just able to" is a grammatically sound phrase used to convey a sense of barely managing to achieve something. Ludwig AI confirms its validity and provides real-world examples of its usage across diverse contexts. While appropriate for many situations, be mindful of the slightly informal tone when writing formally. Related phrases, such as ""barely able to"", can be used for similar effect. The phrase is most commonly found in News & Media, and Academic writing. Overall, "only just able to" is useful for expressing narrow margins of success or capability.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

just barely able to

Adds extra emphasis to the narrowness of the margin by using "just" and "barely" together.

barely able to

Emphasizes the marginal nature of the ability, highlighting that the success is achieved with minimal capacity.

hardly able to

Indicates a significant struggle or difficulty in achieving the ability to do something.

scarcely able to

Stresses the rarity or infrequency of being able to perform the action.

nearly unable to

Focuses on the proximity to lacking the ability altogether, almost failing to achieve the task.

with difficulty able to

Places emphasis on the struggle and effort required to achieve the ability, conveying the hardship involved.

managing to

Highlights the act of successfully achieving something despite difficulties, rather than focusing on ability.

at the limit of ability

Indicates that the action is performed at the absolute maximum of one's capabilities.

succeeding by a hair

Uses an idiomatic expression to convey that success was achieved by a very small margin.

on the verge of failing to

Focuses on the possibility of failure, emphasizing how close the entity was to not being able to do something.

FAQs

How can I use "only just able to" in a sentence?

You can use "only just able to" to describe situations where someone or something barely succeeds or manages to do something. For example, "They were "barely able to" scramble on board after the wreck".

What phrases are similar to "only just able to"?

Similar phrases include ""barely able to"", "hardly able to", and "scarcely able to", all of which convey a sense of minimal capability or success.

Is it grammatically correct to say "only just able to"?

Yes, "only just able to" is grammatically correct and commonly used in English to express that someone or something is barely capable of performing an action.

What is the difference between "only just able to" and "just able to"?

The addition of "only" in "only just able to" emphasizes the narrowness of the success or capability, suggesting an even smaller margin than simply being "just able to".