only just achieve

USAGE SUMMARY

"only just achieve" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to indicate that something was accomplished with difficulty or barely met a standard. Example: "She only just achieved the passing grade she needed." Alternative expressions include "barely achieve" and "just manage to achieve."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

2 human-written examples

Laws will say many children who only just achieve level four are not "secondary ready".

The Guardian

Furthermore, many of the studies report findings that only just achieve statistical significance, suggesting the likelihood of publication bias that needs to be considered in the interpretation of their findings.

British Journal of Cancer

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

58 human-written examples

Shalah has only just achieved a solution.

The Guardian

However, this difference only just achieved significance at the 5% level and should be treated with caution, since the study had not been deliberately designed to assess this difference.

Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry

By contrast, Wales, Yorkshire and Humberside, and the north-west have only just achieved positive price growth 10 years post-credit crunch, while values in the north-east are typically down 9%, according to the firm's analysis of data from the Land Registry and other sources.

The Guardian - Business

Although more patients in the control group were on preoperative β-blockade, this difference only just achieved statistical significance.

Critical Care

But we can only achieve it together.

The Guardian

But marketing can only achieve so much.

Huffington Post

The 32-inch TV also has this panel but only achieves a resolution of 1,366×768 (just like the 17- and 20-inchers).

TechCrunch

"We will only achieve equality if we push things forward – we just need to put in the safeguards.

Independent

("We can only achieve greatness if first we achieve goodness").

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "only just achieve" to accurately portray a situation where a goal was barely met, emphasizing the small margin of success. This can add nuance and precision to your writing.

Common error

Avoid using "only just achieve" when the achievement was significant or clearly exceeded expectations. This phrase is best reserved for situations where the outcome was marginal.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "only just achieve" functions as an adverbial phrase, modifying the verb 'achieve' to indicate the extent or degree to which the action was performed. It shows the action was accomplished by a slim margin. As Ludwig AI indicates, the phrase is correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

60%

Science

20%

Formal & Business

20%

Less common in

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "only just achieve" is used to describe situations where a goal is reached by a slim margin. Ludwig AI confirms the phrase is grammatically correct and usable. Though its frequency is relatively rare, its primary function is to emphasize the minimal level of success achieved. Its usage is most common in news and media contexts, with a neutral register. Remember to use this phrase when you want to accurately depict a situation where a goal was barely met, adding nuance to your writing. Consider alternatives like "barely achieve" or "narrowly achieve" for similar meanings.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely achieve

Emphasizes the narrowness of the achievement, suggesting minimal effort above the required level.

narrowly achieve

Highlights the small margin by which something was achieved.

scarcely achieve

Indicates that the achievement was attained with difficulty and was almost not achieved.

just barely manage to achieve

Adds the element of managing, implying effort was needed to reach the minimal achievement.

scrape through

Suggests a very difficult and possibly lucky achievement of a minimal standard.

succeed by a hair's breadth

This idiom vividly illustrates achieving something by a very small margin.

eke out a victory

Implies that the victory or achievement was small and hard-won.

squeak through

Similar to 'scrape through', suggesting a close call in achieving the goal.

attain by the skin of one's teeth

An idiomatic way of saying something was achieved with very little to spare.

reach by a whisker

Like 'hair's breadth', this phrase suggests a very close achievement.

FAQs

How can I use "only just achieve" in a sentence?

You can use "only just achieve" to describe a situation where someone barely meets a requirement or standard. For example, "She "only just achieved" the passing grade in math".

What are some alternatives to "only just achieve"?

Alternatives to "only just achieve" include "barely achieve", "narrowly achieve", or "scarcely achieve". The choice depends on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is "only just achieve" formal or informal?

"Only just achieve" is suitable for both formal and informal contexts. However, in very formal writing, you might consider using a more precise synonym depending on the specific context.

What does it mean when something is "only just achieved"?

When something is ""only just achieved"", it means that it was accomplished with minimal margin or effort, barely meeting the required standard.