scarcely budging

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "scarcely budging" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is barely moving or changing, often in a context where one would expect more movement or change. Example: "Despite the team's efforts to motivate him, he remained scarcely budging from his original position on the issue."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

But the vast, overpopulated dealer network is scarcely budging.

Forbes

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

By contrast, salary income has scarcely budged.

The Economist

Google shares scarcely budged on Thursday and Friday.

The New York Times - Tech

The speculated favorites for that list have scarcely budged in the last few weeks.

The New York Times

By contrast, cash welfare remains stigmatized, and the rolls have scarcely budged. 1 2 Next Page ».

The New York Times

Now millions of jobs have disappeared, and caseloads have scarcely budged.

The New York Times

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

The New York Times

Meanwhile, its stock has scarcely budged during the longest bull market in American history.

The New York Times

The Standard & Poor's 500-stock index scarcely budged, edging up 1.1 points, to 1,470.54.

The New York Times

After several blocks I took out my pedometer, and I was shocked: The numbers had scarcely budged.

The Washington Post

Two maiden ladies, who for many years have scarcely budged from Boston, were persuaded to go to Florida this winter.

The New Yorker

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "scarcely budging", ensure that the context clearly indicates what is expected to move or change. This provides clarity and avoids ambiguity.

Common error

Avoid embedding "scarcely budging" within overly complex sentence structures. Simplicity enhances clarity and impact.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "scarcely budging" functions as an adverbial modifier, describing the extent to which something is moving or changing. It indicates minimal or negligible movement. Ludwig AI confirms its proper use.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

20%

Academia

5%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

3%

Science

1%

Reference

1%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "scarcely budging" is a grammatically correct and frequently used expression to describe minimal movement or change, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. Its usage spans across various authoritative sources, primarily in news and media contexts. While it can be replaced with alternatives like "barely moving" or "hardly shifting", the phrase maintains its clarity and effectiveness in conveying a sense of stagnation or lack of progress. To ensure clarity, be mindful of the context and avoid overly complex sentence structures.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely moving

Emphasizes the lack of significant movement.

hardly shifting

Highlights the absence of any substantial shift or alteration.

almost stationary

Focuses on the near-complete lack of motion.

minimally changing

Stresses the very small degree of change occurring.

virtually stagnant

Indicates a state of inactivity or lack of progress.

remaining static

Underscores the persistence of the same condition without change.

making little progress

Implies that advancement or improvement is minimal.

showing no advancement

Emphasizes the complete absence of forward movement or development.

experiencing minimal alteration

Highlights that any changes are very slight and almost unnoticeable.

not yielding

Focuses on the resistance to change or movement, implying a stubborn refusal to move.

FAQs

What does "scarcely budging" mean?

The phrase "scarcely budging" means that something is barely moving or changing. It suggests a minimal degree of movement or progress.

What can I say instead of "scarcely budging"?

You can use alternatives like "barely moving", "hardly shifting", or "almost stationary" depending on the context.

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

Here's an example of how to use "scarcely budging" in a sentence: "Despite the efforts to increase sales, the numbers were scarcely budging."

Is "scarcely budging" formal or informal?

"Scarcely budging" can be used in both formal and informal contexts, but it's more commonly found in news articles and professional settings.