scarcely a decade

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "scarcely a decade" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to indicate that a short amount of time, specifically less than ten years, has passed since a particular event or situation occurred. Example: "Scarcely a decade has gone by since the groundbreaking discovery changed the field of medicine."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

4 human-written examples

But e-mail is a casual medium, and its conventions are scarcely a decade old.

The New York Times

When it was scarcely a decade old, it was locked up and abandoned.

The Guardian - Travel

After the Arabs conquered the Middle East scarcely a decade following the Prophet's death in 632, they faced the problem of how to govern the conquered.

The New York Times - Books

It is scarcely a decade since MacLeod and colleagues [ 5] provided the first experimental demonstration that attentional bias for threatening material can be altered, and that this exerts a direct impact on emotional vulnerability.

BMC Psychiatry

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

55 human-written examples

Although he was photographically active for scarcely more than a decade and was the author of just four books (all of them now collectors' items), the stature and reputation of the Chilean photographer Sergio Larrain, who has died aged 80, continued to grow after he withdrew from the vibrant European world of street photography to live in a meditational retreat.

The Guardian - Arts

You see it in home prices, which have scarcely budged in a decade.

The New York Times

So conspicuous was the company's international success that, scarcely more than a decade later, the British Establishment had clasped Hammer to its bosom.

Independent

Back then, I could have scarcely imagined that a decade on, we would still be arguing with the government to see the letters.

The Guardian

Michelle has not spoken to anyone in the family for a decade, but she has scarcely said hello before she is agonizingly claiming her right to be chief mourner for a family loss.

The New York Times

But such disputes could scarcely have been the real reason for the collapse of Sikh power within a decade.

Encyclopedia Britannica

For several decades there was scarcely a professional golfer who, it seemed, did not carry a PING one or two iron.

The Guardian - Sport

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "scarcely a decade" to emphasize that the period of time being discussed is surprisingly short, often highlighting the rapid pace of change or development.

Common error

Avoid using "scarcely a decade" when you simply want to state a time frame. The phrase carries an implicit sense of surprise or brevity; ensure the context aligns with this nuance.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "scarcely a decade" functions as an adverbial modifier of time. It indicates a period of time, specifically one that is slightly less than ten years, and emphasizes the brevity or surprising nature of that duration. Ludwig AI indicates that the phrase is grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

75%

Science

12%

Encyclopedias

13%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "scarcely a decade" is a grammatically correct construction used to emphasize the brevity of a period, specifically one that is slightly less than ten years. As confirmed by Ludwig AI, this phrase functions as an adverbial modifier of time and carries an implicit sense of surprise or brevity. Usage is most common in news and media contexts, less frequent in scientific or business writing. When employing this phrase, ensure that the context aligns with the intended nuance of a surprisingly short time span.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely a decade

Replaces "scarcely" with "barely", indicating a minimal amount of time.

hardly a decade

Substitutes "scarcely" with "hardly", implying a very short time span.

not quite a decade

Indicates the period is close to, but not fully, a decade.

just under ten years

Specifies the time frame as slightly less than ten years.

a little under a decade

Adds "a little" to emphasize the short duration relative to a full decade.

in less than a decade

Emphasizes that the event occurred within a period shorter than ten years.

almost ten years

Rephrases using a numerical approximation of a decade.

less than ten years

States the time frame explicitly as being under ten years.

nearing a decade

Focuses on the period approaching the ten-year mark.

approaching ten years

Similar to 'nearing a decade', but more direct.

FAQs

How can I use "scarcely a decade" in a sentence?

Use "scarcely a decade" to emphasize the brevity of a period, highlighting rapid changes or unexpected developments. For example: "Scarcely a decade had passed since the internet's inception, yet it had already transformed society."

What can I say instead of "scarcely a decade"?

You can use alternatives like "barely a decade", "hardly a decade", or "almost ten years" depending on the context.

Is "scarcely a decade" formal or informal?

"Scarcely a decade" is suitable for both formal and informal writing, but its usage is more common in journalistic or narrative contexts rather than strict academic papers.

What's the difference between "scarcely a decade" and "a decade"?

"Scarcely a decade" emphasizes the short duration and the surprising nature of developments within that time, while "a decade" simply refers to a ten-year period without implying brevity or surprise.