scarcely any

USAGE SUMMARY

'scarcely any' is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
You can use it to refer to an extremely small number or amount of something. Example: There was scarcely any food left in the cupboard.

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Encyclopedias

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Now there are scarcely any.

Independent

Scarcely any electricity or water.

The Economist

Politically, it has scarcely any.

The Economist

Huddersfield are scarcely any better.

The Guardian - Sport

There was scarcely any mention of sports.

The New York Times

The reaction was similar: scarcely any effect.

The New Yorker

Scarcely any street-criers in New York.

The New Yorker

But they make scarcely any money.

The Economist

There are scarcely any customers.

The New York Times

There are scarcely any product endorsements.

The New York Times

The next two did scarcely any better.

The Guardian - Books

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "scarcely any" to emphasize the rarity or near absence of something. It's stronger than simply saying "not much" or "a little".

Common error

Avoid using "scarcely any" when you actually mean 'a few' or 'some'. "Scarcely any" indicates a near absence, not just a small quantity. If you mean a small but noticeable quantity, choose a different phrase.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "scarcely any" functions as a determiner, specifically a quantifier. It modifies a noun to indicate a minimal or near-zero quantity. As Ludwig AI confirms, it is a perfectly acceptable phrase in English.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

55%

Science

25%

Encyclopedias

9%

Less common in

Formal & Business

6%

Wiki

3%

Academia

2%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "scarcely any" is a determiner used to emphasize the near absence or extreme rarity of something. It's grammatically correct and widely accepted, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. While similar to phrases like "hardly any" or "almost none", it carries a stronger implication of scarcity. As such, using it accurately is crucial to avoid misrepresenting the quantity or degree you are describing. Its usage is prominent across diverse sources, particularly in news, science, and encyclopedic content. While versatile, it's most appropriate in formal and neutral registers.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hardly any

Uses a different adverb to convey a similar sense of lack or near absence.

barely any

Employs "barely" as an alternative adverb with a similar meaning.

almost none

Replaces the adverb with "almost" and uses "none" to emphasize the near absence.

virtually no

Substitutes with "virtually" to express a near absence.

very little

Uses "very little" to describe the quantity instead of an adverb modifying "any".

a minimal amount of

Rephrases to focus on the extremely small quantity directly.

next to no

Uses an idiomatic expression indicating a minimal amount.

a small amount of

Rephrases to focus on the small quantity directly.

a negligible quantity of

Uses more formal language to indicate an insignificant amount.

not much

Expresses the idea using a more informal and concise phrase.

FAQs

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

Use "scarcely any" to indicate that there is very little or almost none of something. For example, "There was "scarcely any" food left after the party."

What's the difference between "scarcely any" and "hardly any"?

"Scarcely any" and "hardly any" are very similar and often interchangeable. Both indicate a small quantity, but "scarcely" might suggest an even greater degree of rarity or lack.

What are some alternatives to using "scarcely any"?

Alternatives include "almost none", "very little", or "barely any". The best choice depends on the specific context and the degree of emphasis you want to convey.

Is it ever incorrect to use "scarcely any"?

It could be incorrect if you intend to convey that there is some noticeable quantity of something. "Scarcely any" suggests a near absence, so if you mean 'a few' or 'some', a different phrase would be more accurate.