scarcely

scarce·ly

adv

Definition of SCARCELY

1

a : by a narrow margin : only just <had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open — Agnes S. Turnbull> b : almost not <could scarcely see for the fog>

2

a : certainly not <could scarcely interfere> b : probably not <there could scarcely have been found a leader better equipped — V. L. Parrington>

Examples of SCARCELY

1. He could scarcely control his joy.
2. Scarcely a day goes by when they don't see or talk to each other.
3. He had scarcely enough money.
4. This is scarcely a time to laugh.
5. I could scarcely tell them they were wrong.

First Known Use of SCARCELY

14th century

Related to SCARCELY

Synonyms: barely, hardly, marginally, narrowly, just, slightly

Antonyms: considerably, significantly, substantially, vastly, well

Related Words: minimally, minutely, scantly; almost, approximately, closely, more or less, nearly, partly, plus or minus, roughly, somewhat

Near Antonyms: definitely, easily, plainly, positively, quite, unquestionably; abundantly, completely, copiously, fully, generously, greatly

see all synonyms and antonyms

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