only just passing

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "only just passing" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where someone or something is barely meeting a standard or requirement. Example: "The student was only just passing the course, with a grade that barely met the minimum requirement."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

Either way Mr. Nelson was doing his part, but only just passing through.

The New York Times - Arts

NEW YORK TIMES Stress Tests May Spur Action From Some of Europe's Biggest Players | Some of the biggest names in European banking, including Deutsche Bank, Royal Bank of Scotland and Société Générale, look set to come under investor pressure to bolster reserves after only just passing the Continent's recent round of stress tests.

The New York Times

"The club is here forever and I'm only just passing through, like any manager.

BBC

27 Kane's third approach to validity uses external criteria, particularly the "direct, criterion-related approach," asking how those passing the exam perform at later tasks, whether those who pass well perform better than those who only just pass and whether those only just passing subsequently perform at an acceptable level.

British Medical Journal

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

56 human-written examples

With 72% now, Egypt has only just passed South Korea's level of 1960.

The Economist

We don't have maternity leave in America; we've only just passed legislation for unpaid maternity leave.

University of California, Berkeley

Some may also face market pressure to raise their reserves, particularly those which only just passed, like Postbank in Germany.

The New York Times

Why is getting in to criticise the deceased when they've only just passed so important to you?

The Guardian

We had a guy working here; he got a rare brain cancer working this unit, and he only just passed away.

The New Yorker

(The New Democrats, too, only just passed this barrier).But what really hobbled the Alliance was its mistaken arithmetic in Ontario.

The Economist

The state's legislature has only just passed a bill repealing bans on all three admittedly odd hobbies, along with nearly seven dozen other antiquated laws.

The Washington Post

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "only just passing", ensure the context clearly indicates what standard is being barely met. For example, "The company was "only just passing" its quarterly earnings targets."

Common error

Avoid using "only just passing" when the achievement is actually quite significant. This phrase diminishes the accomplishment and suggests a lack of substantial success.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "only just passing" functions as an adverbial phrase modifying a verb. It indicates the degree to which an action or standard has been achieved, emphasizing that it was barely accomplished. Ludwig AI confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Science

15%

Academia

15%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "only just passing" is a grammatically sound and usable adverbial phrase, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It conveys the idea of barely meeting a standard or requirement. While its frequency is relatively rare, the phrase appears in various contexts such as news, media, and academia, indicating neutral formality. If you're looking for alternative phrases, consider options like "barely passing" or "narrowly succeeding" to add nuances depending on the message you want to convey.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely passing

Emphasizes the small margin by which a standard was met.

narrowly succeeding

Focuses on the success aspect but highlights how close it was to failure.

just scraping by

Indicates a minimal level of effort or resources leading to success.

squeaking through

Suggests a tight situation where success was almost improbable.

only just managing

Highlights the effort required to achieve a minimal level of success.

hardly succeeding

Emphasizes the difficulty in achieving success.

scraping through by the skin of one's teeth

A more idiomatic way of saying barely succeeding

meeting the minimum requirement

Focuses more precisely on the fulfillment of a formal requirement.

getting by with the bare minimum

Highlights the use of minimal resources or effort.

making the grade by a hair

Offers a visual metaphor of a very small margin of success

FAQs

What does "only just passing" mean?

The phrase "only just passing" means barely meeting a certain standard or requirement. It indicates that success was achieved by a very narrow margin.

What can I say instead of "only just passing"?

You can use alternatives like "barely passing", "narrowly succeeding", or "just scraping by" depending on the context.

Is it better to say "just passing" or "only just passing"?

"Only just passing" emphasizes the narrow margin of success more strongly than "just passing". The choice depends on the desired level of emphasis.

How to use "only just passing" in a sentence?

Example: "The student was "only just passing" the exam, indicating they needed to study harder". You can also say: "The company was "only just passing" all the audits".