barely
pronunciation
How to pronounce barely in British English:
UK [ˈbeəli]
How to pronounce barely in American English:
US [ˈberli]
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- Adverb:
- by a small margin
- in a sparse or scanty way
Word Origin
- barely (adv.)
- Old English bærlice "openly, clear, public;" see bare (adj.) + -ly (2). Meaning "only, just" is recorded from late 15c.; that of "merely, simply" is from 1570s. In 15c. it also could mean "naked."
Example
- 1. Old-media firms have barely begun to address such problems .
- 2. His weak voice was barely audible in the room .
- 3. Sales in 2009 could be barely half of that .
- 4. A seamless transition takes barely one-twentieth of a second .
- 5. The broader overhaul of welfare has barely begun , and will be complex and costly .