scarcely cooked

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "scarcely cooked" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe food that is barely cooked or not cooked enough, often implying that it is undercooked. Example: "The chicken was scarcely cooked, leaving it pink in the middle and unsafe to eat."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Academia

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

60 human-written examples

The shabby chic of domesticating old industrial space has trickled upward to new housing, so that now it scarcely matters whether vats ever cooked glue or sewing machines once whirred inside.

The New York Times

Steaks of the sambur, cooked like those of a cow or bullock, are scarcely to be distinguished from a real rump-steak so dear to the heart of Englishmen.

Cornell University

Their efforts to make their way in America are sometimes comical, as when the two brothers decide to slaughter a pig to make a traditional curry, although they've never slaughtered a pig before and scarcely know how to cook.

The New York Times - Books

The meat is then cooked at a low temperature, where the myosin and actin proteins are scarcely denatured, but for a sufficiently long time that the collagen is slowly softened.

Chemical Reviews

one__kilogram__meat, cooked__after__only__left__less__600__gram.

Lingua Sinica

*ipi 2.3 "cooked rice".

Rice

You can find dried and crystallized ginger, which will last upwards of a year, if you cook with it scarcely.

HuffPost

Your job leaves you with scarcely enough time or energy to cook occasional healthy meals, let alone lose yourself in a great book?

Huffington Post

The book's voyage through what the subtitle calls "the Other China" actually opens up vast worlds of other Chinas scarcely known to cooks and food lovers here.

The New York Times - Food

I wanted to make a potage, but being a millennial who can scarcely operate a can opener, I did not have the skills nor the utensils to cook.

Vice

I couldn't cook.

British Journal of General Practice

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When using the phrase "scarcely cooked", ensure that the context clearly indicates the potential health risks associated with consuming undercooked food, especially for meat, poultry, and seafood.

Common error

Avoid using "scarcely cooked" when you mean the food was cooked poorly or with low quality ingredients. "Scarcely" refers to the degree of cooking, not the quality or method.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "scarcely cooked" primarily functions as an adjectival phrase modifying a noun (typically a food item). It describes the state or condition of being cooked to a minimal degree. As Ludwig AI's response indicates, the phrase follows standard grammar rules.

Expression frequency: Missing

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Science

33%

Academia

33%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "scarcely cooked" is a grammatically sound adjectival phrase used to describe food that has undergone minimal cooking. While Ludwig AI states that phrase follows standard grammar rules, there are currently no exact usage examples, according to Ludwig. It serves to inform or warn about the degree of preparation, implying a potential health concern or texture issue. The phrase is suitable for a neutral register and is found in news, science, and academic contexts. Related terms include "barely cooked" and "undercooked". When using this term, clarity regarding the potential risks of consuming undercooked food is essential.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

Barely cooked

Replaces "scarcely" with "barely", offering a direct synonym with similar intensity.

Undercooked

Uses a single word to describe the state of being insufficiently cooked.

Hardly cooked

Offers another synonym for "scarcely", indicating a minimal degree of cooking.

Insufficiently cooked

Provides a more technical term for food that hasn't been cooked long enough.

Lightly cooked

Substitutes "scarcely" with "lightly", emphasizing a short cooking time or low heat.

Slightly cooked

Replaces "scarcely" with "slightly", softening the intensity of minimal cooking.

Minimally cooked

Uses a more formal tone to express the idea of being cooked to the smallest degree necessary.

Rarely cooked

Emphasizes the infrequency of cooking, implying a preference or tendency for raw or near-raw preparation.

Briefly cooked

Highlights the short duration of the cooking process.

Just warmed

Indicates that the food was only heated slightly but not fully cooked.

FAQs

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

You can use "scarcely cooked" to describe food that is undercooked. For example, "The chicken was "scarcely cooked", making it unsafe to eat".

What's the difference between "scarcely cooked" and "undercooked"?

"Scarcely cooked" and "undercooked" are very similar. "Scarcely cooked" might imply an even lesser degree of cooking than "undercooked", suggesting it's just barely cooked.

Which is a better term to use: "scarcely cooked" or "rarely cooked"?

The better term depends on the context. "Scarcely cooked" implies that the food was not cooked for very long. "Rarely cooked" implies the preparation is uncommon, often a deliberate culinary choice (e.g., steak cooked rare) but not necessarily undercooked.

What can I say instead of ""scarcely cooked"" if I want to sound more formal?

You could use "insufficiently cooked" or "minimally cooked" for a more formal tone.