Synonyms of scarcely

scarcely

adverb

ˈskers-lē 

1

as in barely

by a very small margin

was scarcely able to walk after the near-fatal accident

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

2

as in no

certainly not

I scarcely think that one person being sick is an "epidemic"

Synonyms & Similar Words

• no
• never
• hardly
• none
• nothing
• ill
• by no means
• nowhere
• nothing doing
• on no account
• noway
• nowise
• near

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• certainly
• surely
• completely
• absolutely
• definitely
• most
• quite
• very
• positively
• highly
• extremely
• exceedingly
• greatly
• clearly
• terribly
• really
• awfully
• enormously
• immensely
• plainly
• truly
• unquestionably
• mighty
• perfectly
• utterly
• rather
• somewhat
• doubtless
• slightly
• mostly
• hugely
• assuredly
• awful
• mightily
• more or less
• unequivocally
• hands down

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of scarcely

Both of those statements can be true and yet this can scarcely be said to be a stalemate, or even a proper separation of powers. — Literary Hub, 1 July 2026

Dollar dominance has provided Washington with tools of statecraft that previous great powers could scarcely imagine. — Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 28 June 2026

The launch was scarcely announced in advance, Ars reports. — Eric Berger, ArsTechnica, 26 June 2026

Although Homer does not say so, enslaved women in a royal house would scarcely have had the power to refuse male visitors, even so surly a bunch as the suitors. — David Denby, New Yorker, 21 June 2026