scarcely
SKEH-uhs-lee
Scarcely (adverb) means Only just; barely. Example: “She had scarcely sat down when the phone rang.”
adverb
1
Only just; barely.
"Scarcely had she arrived when she was put to work."
"Nature scarcely ever gives us the very best—for that we must have recourse to art."
— Baltasar Gracián, translated by Joseph Jacobs (1993)
"She had scarcely sat down when the phone rang."
"He could scarcely believe the news."
"But we shall take scarcely more than two years to reach it, while we should have needed almost as much time to arrive in the region of Proxima Centauris."
— Pierre Boulle, Planet of the Apes (1963)
How to use scarcely
Learner’s notesIn plain EnglishBarely, hardly — just barely true or just barely happening.
Common mistake
Avoid doubling up with another negative, e.g. don't say "can't scarcely" — "can scarcely" is already negative in meaning.
Common pairings
scarcely believe
scarcely ever
scarcely a moment
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Word forms
- Comparative
- more scarcely
- Superlative
- most scarcely
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She had _____ sat down when the phone rang.
Etymology
Derives from Middle English scarcely, scarsly, scarsely, scarsliche, scarseliche, equivalent to scarce + -ly.
Synonyms
View more →Antonyms
Related words
Rhymes for scarcely
See all rhymes for scarcely →Frequently asked questions
What does “scarcely” mean?
The word “scarcely” means only just; barely. In plain terms, barely, hardly — just barely true or just barely happening.
How do you pronounce “scarcely”?
“Scarcely” is pronounced SKEH-uhs-lee (/ˈskɛɹsli/ in IPA).
How do you use “scarcely” in a sentence?
Here is “scarcely” used in a sentence: “She had scarcely sat down when the phone rang.”
What is another word for “scarcely”?
Words with a similar meaning to “scarcely” include hardly.
What part of speech is “scarcely”?
“Scarcely” is an adverb.
Is “scarcely” a common word?
“Scarcely” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B2 level.
