Synonyms of barely

barely

adverb

ˈber-lē 

as in slightly

by a very small margin

we barely made it to the church on time

Synonyms & Similar Words

• slightly
• just
• narrowly
• hardly
• scarcely
• almost
• marginally
• nearly
• somewhat
• minimally
• by the skin of one's teeth
• minutely
• closely
• approximately
• roughly
• partly
• scantly
• more or less
• plus or minus

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• well
• significantly
• substantially
• considerably
• quite
• easily
• definitely
• vastly
• plainly
• fully
• positively
• completely
• unquestionably
• greatly
• generously
• abundantly
• copiously

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of barely

Then, once the Americans equalized on a free kick by midfielder Malik Tillman, Belgium scored yet again in barely a minute of play. — Becky Sullivan, NPR, 6 July 2026

In December, however, the highs sometimes barely touch 60 degrees on the Italian island and rain is more likely. — Leslie Josephs, CNBC, 6 July 2026

By its ninth full fiscal year (which ended in March), for instance, the Wii was barely hanging on, selling new hardware at a rate less than 1 percent of its annual peak years earlier. — Kyle Orland, ArsTechnica, 7 July 2026

Early on, pressure for more frequent disclosure came not from government regulators, who barely existed before 1934, but from investors. — Business Columnist, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026