Bearly vs. Barely: Mastering the Correct Spelling
Edited by Aimie Carlson || By Janet White || Updated on March 13, 2024
Bearly is an incorrect spelling. The correct spelling is Barely, meaning only just; scarcely.
Which is correct: Bearly or Barely
How to spell Barely?
Bearly is Incorrect
Barely is Correct
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Key Differences
Think of "Bare" as in "bare minimum," highlighting scarcity.
Recite "Bare-ly has no bear in it."
"Bearly" looks like it's about bears; "Barely" looks like it's about minimal amounts.
Remember "Bear" is an animal, while "Bare" relates to minimalism or scarcity.
Associate "bare" with something exposed or minimal, as in "bare feet."
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Correct usage of Barely
After the long hike, he could bearly walk.
After the long hike, he could barely walk.
He could bearly hear the music from across the street.
He could barely hear the music from across the street.
The room was bearly big enough for the two of us.
The room was barely big enough for the two of us.
The movie started, and we made it to the theater bearly on time.
The movie started, and we made it to the theater barely on time.
She was so tired, she could bearly keep her eyes open.
She was so tired, she could barely keep her eyes open.
Barely Definitions
Just possibly; with no surplus.
There was barely enough food for everyone.
Only just; by a small margin.
She barely passed the test.
Scarcely; hardly; with difficulty.
I could barely see through the fog.
In a simple and sparse way.
The room was barely furnished.
Without concealment; openly.
The secret was barely hidden.
By a very little; hardly
Could barely see the road in the fog.
In a scanty manner; sparsely
A barely furnished room.
(degree) By a small margin.
(degree) Almost not at all.
The plane is so far away now I can barely see it.
Yes, it is barely visible.
(archaic) merely.
Without covering; nakedly.
Without concealment or disguise.
Merely; only.
R. For now his son is duke.W. Barely in title, not in revenue.
But just; without any excess; with nothing to spare (of quantity, time, etc.); hence, scarcely; hardly; as, there was barely enough for all; he barely escaped.
By a small margin;
They could barely hear the speaker
We hardly knew them
Just missed being hit
Had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open
Would have scarce arrived before she would have found some excuse to leave
In a sparse or scanty way;
A barely furnished room
Barely Sentences
She barely noticed the change in weather.
The plant was barely alive after weeks without water.
I was so far away, I could barely see the stage.
The text was so small, he could barely read it.
She barely had enough money to pay for groceries.
The old bridge could barely support the weight of the car.
They arrived barely a minute before the meeting started.
They barely made it to the bus before it left.
The puppy was barely bigger than a shoe.
The room was barely lit by a single dim lamp.
The battery was barely charged, but it was enough to make the call.
She barely spoke during the dinner.
The ice on the lake was barely thick enough to skate on.
I was barely awake when the alarm went off.
She could barely hold back her tears during the movie.
He barely slept last night because of the noise.
The path was barely visible in the dark.
He barely managed to finish the marathon.
He could barely believe his luck when he won the lottery.
We barely had time to catch our breath before the next activity started.
I barely recognized him after so many years.
The signal was so weak, we could barely connect to the internet.
They barely had any time to prepare for the test.
The box was barely strong enough to hold all the books.
They barely mentioned the incident during the conversation.
Barely Idioms & Phrases
Barely scratch the surface
To explore or understand only a small part of a subject or problem.
In our first lesson, we barely scratched the surface of the topic.
Barely make ends meet
To have just enough money to cover basic expenses.
After losing her job, she could barely make ends meet.
Barely a whisper
Very quietly or with very little sound.
During the concert, the audience's applause was barely a whisper.
Barely get by
To manage to live or continue with difficulty.
He's been barely getting by since he moved to the city.
Barely the tip of the iceberg
Only a very small part of a much larger problem or situation.
The issues we've seen are barely the tip of the iceberg.
Barely lift a finger
To do very little or almost nothing to help.
He didn't barely lift a finger during the entire project.
Barely hold together
To be on the verge of falling apart or failing.
The team was barely holding together after so many losses.
Barely stand on one's feet
To be extremely tired or weak.
After the marathon, I could barely stand on my feet.
Barely a moment to spare
Having very little free time.
With her busy schedule, she had barely a moment to spare.
Barely blink an eye
To show little or no reaction to something surprising or shocking.
She told him the news, and he barely blinked an eye.
FAQs
Why is it called Barely?
It derives from the word "bare," indicating a minimal or scant amount.
What is the verb form of Barely?
Barely is an adverb and doesn't have a verb form.
What is the root word of Barely?
The root word is "bare."
What is the pronunciation of Barely?
It is pronounced as /ˈbɛərli/.
What is the singular form of Barely?
Barely doesn't have a plural or singular; it's an adverb.
What is the plural form of Barely?
Barely doesn't have a plural form.
Which conjunction is used with Barely?
Any conjunction can be used depending on context: and, or, but, etc.
Is Barely a negative or positive word?
Neutral, but can have negative connotations depending on the context.
Which vowel is used before Barely?
Context-dependent, but commonly "a" as in "a barely visible mark."
Which article is used with Barely?
"The" can be used, but "barely" often stands alone or with "a" depending on the sentence.
Is Barely a collective noun?
No.
Which preposition is used with Barely?
Various, like "by" in "by barely a margin."
Is Barely an abstract noun?
No.
Is the word Barely is imperative?
No.
How many syllables are in Barely?
Two syllables.
How do we divide Barely into syllables?
Bare-ly.
What is another term for Barely?
Scarcely.
Is Barely a countable noun?
No, it's an adverb.
What is a stressed syllable in Barely?
The first syllable "Bare" is stressed.
Is Barely an adverb?
Yes.
Is Barely a vowel or consonant?
"Barely" is a word consisting of both vowels and consonants.
Is the Barely term a metaphor?
No.
What is the opposite of Barely?
Abundantly.
Which determiner is used with Barely?
Depending on context, but "this" can be used, e.g., "this barely noticeable change."
What is the third form of Barely?
Barely doesn't have verb forms.
Is Barely a noun or adjective?
Neither, it's an adverb.
What part of speech is Barely?
It's an adverb.
What is the first form of Barely?
Barely doesn't have verb forms.
What is the second form of Barely?
Barely doesn't have verb forms.
How is Barely used in a sentence?
"He barely had time to grab his coat before the rain started."
About Author
Written by
Janet WhiteJanet White has been an esteemed writer and blogger for Difference Wiki. Holding a Master's degree in Science and Medical Journalism from the prestigious Boston University, she has consistently demonstrated her expertise and passion for her field. When she's not immersed in her work, Janet relishes her time exercising, delving into a good book, and cherishing moments with friends and family.
Edited by
Aimie CarlsonAimie Carlson, holding a master's degree in English literature, is a fervent English language enthusiast. She lends her writing talents to Difference Wiki, a prominent website that specializes in comparisons, offering readers insightful analyses that both captivate and inform.
