1
a
: by a narrow margin : only just
… had scarcely rung the bell when the door flew open …—
Agnes S. Turnbull
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
V. L. ParringtonExamples 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
In the 1970s, the world of the watch was undergoing a revolution that even those who instigated it could scarcely understand.
—David Szondy
march 28, New Atlas, 28 Mar. 2026
But the music could scarcely feel more unburdened—the sound of an artist stretching the borders of their sound ever further into a hostile world.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 Mar. 2026
Space launches are now so commonplace that they’re scarcely seen as newsworthy.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 18 Mar. 2026
But that’s scarcely slowed him down.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scarcely
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David Szondy
march 28, New Atlas, 28 Mar. 2026
But the music could scarcely feel more unburdened—the sound of an artist stretching the borders of their sound ever further into a hostile world.
—Nina Corcoran, Pitchfork, 23 Mar. 2026
Space launches are now so commonplace that they’re scarcely seen as newsworthy.
—Lee Billings, Scientific American, 18 Mar. 2026
But that’s scarcely slowed him down.
—Los Angeles Times, 15 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for scarcely
Cite this Entry
“Scarcely.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/scarcely. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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