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scarcely

adverb

ˈskers-lē How to pronounce scarcely (audio)
Definition of scarcelynext
1
as in barely
by a very small margin was scarcely able to walk after the near-fatal accident

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in no
certainly not I scarcely think that one person being sick is an "epidemic"

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of scarcely All four were victorious, their religious affiliations scarcely noted. — Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 12 Aug. 2026 But there’s something about the failures of The Last House that feel like an encapsulation of the state of American film in all its rudderless mediocrity in which humanity is scarcely explored and artistry is rarely found. — Angelica Jade Bastién, Vulture, 7 Aug. 2026 The legacy of Cold War innovation Not every secret Cold War project succeeded, but many reshaped military technology in ways their creators could scarcely have imagined. — Kaif Shaikh, Interesting Engineering, 6 Aug. 2026 The great mystery of the Iran war is why that hasn’t happened—why, nearly five months later, oil prices have scarcely surpassed $100, even as countries around the world have been forced to dip into their oil reserves. — Rogé Karma, The Atlantic, 29 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for scarcely
Recent Examples of Synonyms for scarcely
  1. barely
  2. no
  3. slightly
  4. never
  5. just
  6. hardly
Adverb
  • Visible, timely payments delivered through channels customers already trust, consistently outperform vague bill credits customers barely notice.
    — Amber Mullaney, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026
  • The same minerals spotting your glasses and scaling your faucets could also be the reason your shampoo barely lathers or your hair has been feeling dull and stiff lately.
    — Ryan Brennan, Kansas City Star, 15 Sep. 2026
Definition of barely
Adverb
  • With a Blazer If your goal is to achieve a preppier style, look no further than pairing Mary Jane flats with a blazer.
    — Daisy Maldonado, InStyle, 5 Sep. 2026
  • For those feeling grim about Milwaukee’s local music scene post-The Garage’s closure and no-play list fallout, look no further for artist solidarity than the library.
    — Caden Perry, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of no
Adverb
  • A couple miles away, Zebulon draws slightly larger crowds — their venue can hold up to 300 — but their mission is similar.
    — Elisabeth Garber-Paul, Rolling Stone, 17 Sep. 2026
  • And the free version, the open-source version, the unregulated version, is always going to be improving slightly behind the expensive, fancy version.
    — Tyler Foggatt, New Yorker, 17 Sep. 2026
Definition of slightly
Adverb
  • Their biggest obstacle is that their collectivist vision has never worked without trampling on civil liberties.
    — Nolan Finley The Detroit News, Arkansas Online, 9 Sep. 2026
  • The Bills, of course, haven't reached a Super Bowl since 1994, and the Texans have never played in one.
    — The Athletic NFL Staff, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of never
Adverb
  • Researchers want the reactor package to fit inside just two cubic meters.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 16 Sep. 2026
  • Put simply, Chinese EVs are just better than a lot of the competition, says Howard Yu, a professor of management and innovation at IMD Business School and codirector of the Future Readiness program, which evaluates global car manufacturers.
    — Sam Forsdick, Fortune, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of just
Adverb
  • Clear areas in which Newcastle can improve are hardly surprising, given the relative inexperience across their squad.
    — Chris Waugh, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The Dodgers’ billionaire owner, hardly an average fan, is under intense scrutiny these days, following the sale of his controlling interest in the Lakers and a federal investigation into his business dealings.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Definition of hardly

Browse Nearby Words

scarce
scarcely
scarceness
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Scarcely.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/scarcely. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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