scarcely

adverb

scarce·​ly ˈskers-lē How to pronounce scarcely (audio)
Synonyms of scarcely
1
a
: by a narrow margin : only just
… had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open …—Agnes S. Turnbull
b
: almost not
could scarcely see for the fog
2
a
: certainly not
could scarcely interfere
b
: probably not
… there could scarcely have been found a leader better equipped …—V. L. Parrington

Synonyms of scarcely

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Examples of scarcely in a Sentence

He could scarcely control his joy. Scarcely a day goes by when they don't see or talk to each other. He had scarcely enough money. This is scarcely a time to laugh. I could scarcely tell them they were wrong.
Recent Examples on the Web
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.
Roman will spend more than a quarter of its planned five-year primary mission observing this 10,000-light-year-wide region, which is so sprawling and thick with stars that previous telescopes have scarcely probed its depths. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 29 Aug. 2026 While earlier sitcom crews met up at a coffee shop or a bar, young people like Billie—who spends her days submitting dozens of job applications without a single reply—are scarcely in a position to treat the city as their playground. — Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 27 Aug. 2026 She was cut from a singular cloth with an artistic vision as distinctive as that voice of hers, an instrument of pure emotion that could scarcely be more instantly identifiable as Dolly Parton. — Ed Masley, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026 The activity now seen actually serves as a further threat to competitive balance in a division where scarcely anyone stands a chance of winning the title in the first place. — Chris Weatherspoon, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for scarcely

Word History

First Known Use

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of scarcely was in the 13th century

Phrases Containing scarcely

Browse Nearby Words

scarce
scarcely
scarcement
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Cite this Entry

“Scarcely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scarcely. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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Kids Definition

scarcely

adverb
scarce·​ly
ˈske(ə)rs-lē, 
ˈska(ə)rs-
1
: by a narrow margin : only just
had scarcely made the train in time
2
a
: certainly not
could scarcely tell them they were wrong
b
: probably not
could scarcely have chosen a better leader
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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