scarcely moved

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "scarcely moved" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used to describe a situation where something or someone has hardly changed position or has shown minimal movement. Example: "Despite the loud noise outside, the cat scarcely moved from its spot on the windowsill."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Arts

Sports

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

21 human-written examples

His lips scarcely moved.

The New York Times

Some scarcely moved.

The New York Times - Magazine

Some have scarcely moved; a few have sunk.

The New York Times

Yet despite these labors, her feet scarcely moved forward.

The New York Times - Arts

And he could speak softly, like breathing, so the mouth scarcely moved.

The Guardian

He duly did so in 1950, set up house in West Hampstead, and scarcely moved thereafter.

The Guardian

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

36 human-written examples

He scarcely moves and he doesn't talk much.

The New York Times

She delivered the soliloquies, scarcely moving, looking straight out into the audience with an extreme candour.

The Guardian

A quadriplegic who could scarcely move his head drowned in a bathtub after being left alone with the water running.

The New York Times

At first you don't even realize he's dancing because it looks as if he's scarcely moving.

The New York Times - Arts

By the end of the decade, Delhiites could "scarcely move in the city on weekend evenings for the traffic jams of fervent bar-goers".

The Economist

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

When describing emotional reactions, be sure "scarcely moved" reflects a genuine lack of emotional response, not suppressed emotion.

Common error

Avoid using "scarcely moved" when you mean someone is trying to hide their emotions. This phrase indicates a complete lack of emotional response, not simply controlled feelings.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "scarcely moved" functions as an adverbial modifier describing the extent to which an action (moving) occurred. It indicates that the action was minimal or almost non-existent. As Ludwig AI confirms, it's grammatically correct.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Arts

21%

Sports

12%

Less common in

Wiki

6%

Formal & Business

6%

Science

5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "scarcely moved" is a grammatically sound and versatile expression used to indicate minimal or almost no movement or change. Ludwig AI confirms its correctness, and its usage spans various contexts, from physical descriptions to abstract concepts. Its frequency is classified as common, appearing often in news and media, arts, and sports reporting. For alternatives, you can use phrases such as "barely budged" or "hardly stirred" to express a similar meaning. When using this phrase, ensure it accurately reflects a lack of change, avoiding its misuse for suppressed emotions.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

barely budged

Replaces "moved" with "budged", emphasizing a slight or minimal shift in position.

hardly stirred

Substitutes "moved" with "stirred", focusing on the lack of agitation or disturbance.

scarcely budged

Emphasizes minimal movement by using "budged" instead of "moved".

hardly shifted

Uses "shifted" to highlight the absence of a noticeable change in location.

barely displaced

Replaces "moved" with "displaced", stressing the lack of any shift in position or location.

almost unmoved

Uses "unmoved" with "almost" to indicate a state of near immobility.

remained stationary

Emphasizes the lack of movement by stating that something "remained stationary".

stayed still

Simple replacement that highlights no movement occurred.

negligibly altered

Focuses on the minimal change in a broader sense, not just physical movement.

virtually static

Highlights the lack of change and uses a more formal tone.

FAQs

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

You can use "scarcely moved" to describe a lack of physical movement, as in "The statue "scarcely moved" despite the strong winds". It can also describe a lack of progress or change in a situation.

What phrases are similar to "scarcely moved"?

Alternatives include phrases like "barely budged", "hardly stirred", or "remained stationary", depending on the context.

Is "scarcely moved" formal or informal?

"Scarcely moved" is considered a neutral to formal expression, suitable for both news reports and academic writing. Its formality depends more on the surrounding vocabulary and sentence structure.

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

"Scarcely moved" implies almost no movement or change, while "slightly moved" suggests there was a small amount of movement or change. The difference lies in the degree of action.