adverb
scarcely
SKEH-uhs-lee
adverb
1
Only just; barely.
"She had scarcely sat down when the phone rang."
"He could scarcely believe the news."
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
Word Forms
more scarcely comparative, most scarcely superlative
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She had _____ sat down when the phone rang.