barely Synonyms & Antonyms
What Is Another Word for Barely?
Other words for barely include hardly, just and marginally. Words with the opposite meaning are considerably and significantly.
Choose a meaning, then find a word that fits your sentence.
Barely as an Adverb
by a very small margin
we barely made it to the church on time
Synonyms & similar words
Antonyms & near antonyms
Barely in a Sentence
I barely completed my homework. However, I got a score of 5 for it.
Barely had I opened the door than the phone started to ring.
The plane is so far away now I can barely see it.
Yes, it is barely visible.
I barely got to the store.
a barely furnished room
barely enough money for lunch
we barely made it to the church on time
Word Forms & Grammar
barely
barely (comparative more barely, superlative most barely)
Words That Rhyme With Barely
Origin of Barely
From Middle English baarly, bareliche, barely, barly, from Old English bærlīċe, equivalent to bare + -ly. Compare Danish bare (“only, just”), Norwegian bare (“only, just”).
First Known Use
circa 1513
Barely at a Glance
| Part of speech | adverb |
|---|---|
| Pronunciation | /ˈber-lē/ |
| Syllables | 2 |
| Meaning | by a very small margin |
| Synonyms | hardly, just and marginally |
| Antonyms | considerably, significantly and substantially |
| Comparative / superlative | more barely, most barely |
| First known use | 1513 |
How Do You Say Barely?
The standard pronunciation of barely is /ˈber-lē/, spoken in 2 syllables, with the main stress on the first syllable (ber).
Frequently Asked Questions About Barely
What part of speech is barely?
Barely is an adverb.
What is the opposite of barely?
Words opposite in meaning to barely are considerably, significantly, substantially and vastly.
What are the comparative and superlative forms of barely?
The comparative form is more barely and the superlative form is most barely.