Bearly vs. Barely: The Correct Spellings

The term "barely" has been a part of the English language for centuries, and its origins can be traced back to the Old English word "bærlice," which means "openly, clearly." Over time, the word's meaning evolved to its current usage.

There aren't any common derived forms of "barely." However, to remember the correct spelling, think of the root word "bare," which refers to something minimal or exposed, similar to how "barely" indicates a minimal amount. By keeping the association of "bare" with "barely," the correct spelling becomes more intuitive.

In the discussion between "bearly" and "barely," the latter stands as the correct spelling. "Barely" is the appropriate form of the word used in standard English, while "bearly" seems to be a phonetic misinterpretation or a typo. In essence, there's no valid reason to use "bearly" in formal or informal writing.

Incorrect: She was bearly able to reach the top shelf.

Correct: She was barely able to reach the top shelf.

Incorrect: The tank was bearly full enough to make it to the next gas station.

Correct: The tank was barely full enough to make it to the next gas station.

Incorrect: He could bearly stand the cold.

Correct: He could barely stand the cold.

Incorrect: They made it to the airport bearly in time for their flight.

Correct: They made it to the airport barely in time for their flight.

Incorrect: I could bearly hear her over the noise of the crowd.

Correct: I could barely hear her over the noise of the crowd.

Used to emphasize a minimal amount.

By a small margin; narrowly.

In a simple and sparse manner.

Hardly; scarcely; with difficulty.

Only just; almost not.

By a very little; hardly

In a scanty manner; sparsely

(degree) By a small margin.

(degree) Almost not at all.

(archaic) merely.

Without covering; nakedly.

Without concealment or disguise.

Merely; only.

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.

by a small margin;

in a sparse or scanty way;

He barely managed to finish the race despite his injury.

The room was so crowded that there was barely enough space to move.

The movie started at eight, and they arrived barely a minute before.

She could barely see through the dense fog.

He had barely started his homework when his friends called him to play.

I could barely keep my eyes open during the long lecture.

She barely recognized him after so many years.

The budget was so tight that they could barely afford the basics.

She was so tired that she could barely speak.

The sun had barely risen when they started their journey.

The text was so small that I could barely read it.

They barely had enough food to last the week.

The old bridge could barely support the weight of the heavy truck.

The plant was barely alive after weeks without water.

The ice was so thin that it could barely hold my weight.

He could barely remember the details of that night.

They could barely hear each other over the sound of the rain.

The car barely fit into the small parking space.

They made it out of the building barely moments before the fire spread.

The phone had barely charged when the power went out.

They had barely arrived when they had to leave again.

I was barely able to contain my excitement.

The new seedlings had barely sprouted when the frost hit.

She had barely stepped outside when it started to pour.

The team barely practiced before the big game.

In a state of extreme tension or suspense.

To have just enough money to cover basic expenses.

To have great difficulty enduring or tolerating.

To struggle to understand or grasp something.

So slight or small as to be almost imperceptible.

So quiet as to be almost inaudible.

Having very little free time.

Sound that is so low it is almost impossible to hear.

Struggling to control one's emotions.

Minimal or hardly visible.

Hardly used or affected.

To manage to live or continue with difficulty.

Difficult to see or perceive.

Operating or working in a very limited or inefficient manner.

Having no time to consider or reflect.

Meeting the minimum legal requirements, often used to describe age-related qualifications.

To continue to live or exist under severe or adverse conditions.

Almost no evidence or sign.

To give very little recognition or attention.

To investigate or understand only a very small part of a topic or problem.

The correct spelling is "barely." "Bearly" is not a standard English word.

Think of the root word "bare." Just as "bare" indicates something minimal, "barely" means a minimal amount.

People might phonetically misinterpret the word, leading to the incorrect spelling "bearly."

Yes, "barely" is appropriate for both formal and informal contexts.

"Barely" can be traced back to the Old English word "bærlice," which meant "openly, clearly."

"Barely" is often used to indicate a very slight margin, such as "She barely passed the test."

Yes, synonyms include "scarcely," "hardly," and "just."

No, "bearly" is not recognized as a valid word in standard English.

"Barely" is primarily used as an adverb.

While both can indicate a minimal amount, "barely" often emphasizes a narrower margin or greater difficulty, while "merely" usually indicates "only" or "simply."