Hardly vs. Barely — What's the Difference?
Difference Between Hardly and Barely
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Compare with Definitions
Hardly
To almost no degree; barely at all; almost not
I could hardly hear the speaker.
Barely
Only just; almost not
A barely perceptible pause
She nodded, barely able to speak
Hardly
Probably or surely not
He is hardly the kind of guy you would want to date. It's hardly a secret that they are engaged.
Barely
In a simple and sparse way
Their barely furnished house
Hardly
With great difficulty or effort
I could hardly get up the stairs.
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Barely
Openly; explicitly.
Hardly
With severity; harshly
"The winter months would deal hardly with many of these poor folk" (William Black).
Barely
By a very little; hardly
Could barely see the road in the fog.
Hardly
(degree) Barely, only just, almost not.
They hardly ever watch television; I hardly think they'll come in this bad weather; it's hardly possible he could lose the election.
Barely
In a scanty manner; sparsely
A barely furnished room.
Hardly
With difficulty.
Barely
(degree) By a small margin.
Hardly
Harshly, severely; in a hard manner.
Barely
(degree) Almost not at all.
The plane is so far away now I can barely see it.
Yes, it is barely visible.
Hardly
Firmly, vigorously, with strength or exertion.
Barely
(archaic) merely.
Hardly
Not really.
I think the Beatles are a really overrated band. ― Hardly!
Barely
Without covering; nakedly.
Hardly
In a hard or difficult manner; with difficulty.
Recovering hardly what he lost before.
Barely
Without concealment or disguise.
Hardly
Unwillingly; grudgingly.
The House of Peers gave so hardly their consent.
Barely
Merely; only.
R. For now his son is duke.W. Barely in title, not in revenue.
Hardly
Scarcely; barely; not quite; not wholly.
Hardly shall you find any one so bad, but he desires the credit of being thought good.
Barely
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.
Hardly
Severely; harshly; roughly.
He has in many things been hardly used.
Barely
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
Hardly
Confidently; hardily.
Barely
In a sparse or scanty way;
A barely furnished room
Hardly
Certainly; surely; indeed.
Hardly
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
Hardly
Almost not;
He hardly ever goes fishing
He was hardly more than sixteen years old
They scarcely ever used the emergency generator
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