What does scarcely mean?
Scarcely is an adverb meaning “almost not at all” or “only just.” It describes situations in which something is barely present, barely possible, or barely occurs. For example, if there is scarcely any evidence, the evidence is almost nonexistent; if someone scarcely arrives on time, they arrive only just in time. Scarcely can also express difficulty, as in “He scarcely spoke,” where the action happened only with great effort. In modern English, its dominant sense is “almost not at all,” and it commonly appears with any, ever, and similar words. The word has a formal, precise, slightly literary quality and is often preferred in writing or careful speech. It is closely related in meaning to barely and hardly, although scarcely can suggest a very narrow margin more strongly.
adverbScarcely means almost not at all, or only just. It can also mean with great difficulty, but its dominant sense is that a very small amount or degree is involved.
- Almost not at all; only just.
- With great difficulty; hardly.
"There was scarcely any food left for the journey."
"The old bridge was scarcely visible through the morning mist."
"The committee scarcely had time to consider the proposal before the meeting ended."
Scarcely captures the idea of approaching a limit without quite crossing it: almost not at all, but still barely within reach.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does scarcely come from?
Scarcely is a Middle English formation made from scarce with the adverbial suffix -ly. Scare came into English through Old French eschars, ultimately from Latin excarpere, “to pick out,” based on carpere, “to harvest.” The development was associated with the idea of taking only a small amount, leading to the modern sense of being rare or insufficient. Related English words include scarce, scant, scanty, and scarcity.
How scarcely is actually used
Scarcely is formal and often literary in tone. It is especially common with words such as any, ever, and noticeable, and may occur in negative constructions such as scarcely had he arrived before the phone rang.
Easily confused with scarcely
Scarce is an adjective meaning insufficient in quantity or difficult to find, whereas scarcely is an adverb meaning almost not at all or only just.
Barely can mean almost not at all or with great difficulty, but it is generally more common and conversational; scarcely often has a more formal or precise tone.