as in slightly
by a very small margin
we barely made it to the church on time
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Recent Examples of barely
Philadelphia’s 40-22 triumph over Kansas City—the Chiefs tacked on two late touchdowns to make the point difference barely respectable—was a stunning display of offensive firepower and defensive ferocity.
—
Sean Gregory, TIME, 10 Feb. 2025
City have also endured a revolving cast of injuries this season, particularly in the defence, while Rodri’s ACL injury and ageing legs elsewhere have meant the midfield has barely fared any better.
—Sam Lee, The Athletic, 9 Feb. 2025
By Barry Levitt January 30, 2025 2:50 PM EST
Owen Hendricks (Noah Centineo) went through hell in the Season 1 finale of Netflix’s The Recruit, barely making it out alive following an unsparingly violent mission.
—Barry Levitt, TIME, 30 Jan. 2025
It must also be recognized that even before the pandemic, barely half of students were meeting the state’s own standards in English language arts and even fewer met them in math.
—The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 28 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for barely 
Sean Gregory, TIME, 10 Feb. 2025
City have also endured a revolving cast of injuries this season, particularly in the defence, while Rodri’s ACL injury and ageing legs elsewhere have meant the midfield has barely fared any better.
—Sam Lee, The Athletic, 9 Feb. 2025
By Barry Levitt January 30, 2025 2:50 PM EST
Owen Hendricks (Noah Centineo) went through hell in the Season 1 finale of Netflix’s The Recruit, barely making it out alive following an unsparingly violent mission.
—Barry Levitt, TIME, 30 Jan. 2025
It must also be recognized that even before the pandemic, barely half of students were meeting the state’s own standards in English language arts and even fewer met them in math.
—The Editorial Board, Orange County Register, 28 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for barely
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Cite this Entry
“Barely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/barely. Accessed 21 Feb. 2025.
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