scarcely comprehensible

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "scarcely comprehensible" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe something that is difficult to understand or barely understandable. Example: "The professor's lecture was so filled with jargon that it was scarcely comprehensible to the students."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Encyclopedias

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

3 human-written examples

4. A month isn't enough … The world record for moustache length is held by Badamsinh Juwansinh Gurjar, a whiskery Indian whose pride and joy extends to a scarcely comprehensible 12ft 6in.

Independent

Throughout his life he achieved very little literary fame, partly because of the style of his prose and philosophy, which is so academic and obscure that it is difficult to read and sometimes scarcely comprehensible.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Some disliked its jaunty attitude to Hitlerian occupation and racial and sexual stereotyping; others enjoyed its unremittingly daffy characters, such as the tall gendarme who, for reasons that don't bear an instant's scrutiny, spoke to everybody in scarcely comprehensible Franglais, offering apercus such as: "It's a gid loof, if you don't wicken".

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

57 human-written examples

That is scarcely surprising, because the headline on the April version of the column was barely comprehensible and cannot have enticed many people to read on.

The Guardian

The levels of comprehensibility for each item were categorized on a 4-point scale (0, not comprehensible; 1, slightly comprehensible; 2, moderately comprehensible; and 3, highly comprehensible).

Arthritis Research and Therapy

It's not comprehensible".

The New York Times

To make infinity comprehensible.

The New Yorker

He makes the complicated comprehensible.

The New Yorker

Their continued use is less comprehensible.

Encyclopedia Britannica

Their languages are not mutually comprehensible.

The New York Times

Now scarcely 10 per cent are.

Independent

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using "scarcely comprehensible", ensure that the context clearly indicates the reason for the difficulty in understanding, whether it's due to complexity, jargon, or poor explanation.

Common error

Avoid using "scarcely comprehensible" to describe something that is merely slightly confusing. This phrase is best reserved for situations where understanding is genuinely challenging, not just a minor inconvenience.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "scarcely comprehensible" functions as an adjectival phrase, modifying a noun to indicate that something is very difficult to understand. As Ludwig AI suggests, it is grammatically correct and usable in written English.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Encyclopedias

33%

Science

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Academia

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "scarcely comprehensible" is a grammatically correct and usable adjectival phrase that indicates something is extremely difficult to understand. As Ludwig AI confirms, while it is valid, its usage should be reserved for contexts where the subject truly presents a significant challenge to comprehension. It is most frequently found in News & Media, Encyclopedias, and Scientific articles, suggesting a neutral register and a tendency towards formal writing. Alternative phrases like "hardly intelligible" or "barely understandable" can be used depending on the specific nuance required.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

hardly intelligible

Replaces "comprehensible" with "intelligible" and "scarcely" with "hardly", both conveying a similar sense of difficulty in understanding.

barely understandable

Substitutes "comprehensible" with "understandable" and "scarcely" with "barely", emphasizing the minimal level of understanding achieved.

almost unintelligible

Replaces "comprehensible" with "unintelligible" and "scarcely" with "almost", suggesting a near complete lack of understanding.

difficult to grasp

Uses a more informal and general way to express the difficulty in understanding something.

not easily understood

Employs a passive construction to highlight the difficulty in the process of understanding.

vaguely comprehensible

Indicates that something is only understood in a very unclear or imprecise way.

faintly intelligible

Suggests that something is understood in a weak or indistinct manner.

poorly understood

Emphasizes the lack of thorough understanding.

tenuously comprehensible

Highlights the fragile or weak nature of the understanding.

imperfectly understood

Suggests that the understanding is flawed or incomplete.

FAQs

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

You can use "scarcely comprehensible" to describe anything that is very difficult to understand. For instance, "The technical manual was so poorly written that it was "scarcely comprehensible"".

What are some alternatives to "scarcely comprehensible"?

Alternatives include "hardly intelligible", "barely understandable", or "almost unintelligible", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

Is it better to say "scarcely comprehensible" or "hardly comprehensible"?

Both "scarcely comprehensible" and "hardly comprehensible" are grammatically correct and convey a similar meaning. The choice depends on personal preference and the specific tone of your writing.

What's the difference between "scarcely comprehensible" and "slightly comprehensible"?

"Scarcely comprehensible" means something is very difficult to understand, almost not understandable at all. In contrast, "slightly comprehensible" indicates that something is understandable to a small degree.