Cory Booker spoke for 25 hours and barely mentioned Gaza. That’s no surprise | Judith Levine
Seven and three-quarters hours into his 25-hour speech on the Senate floor, the New Jersey Democrat Cory Booker uttered the ...
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Tag: barely
“Barely” is a term that denotes a minimal or scarce quantity or degree of something. In professional contexts, the word “barely” often conveys a sense of limitation, constraint, or insufficiency. When used in discussions or analyses, it serves to highlight the marginal nature of a particular situation, condition, or outcome.
In the business world, the concept of “barely” is frequently encountered in the context of financial performance. A company may be said to have barely met its revenue targets for the quarter, indicating that its sales fell just short of the expected level. Similarly, an employee’s performance appraisal might note that they have barely achieved the minimum standards set for their role, suggesting that their work is just adequate, but not exceptional.
In the field of project management, the term “barely” can describe a project that is struggling to stay on schedule or within budget. A project manager might report that a team is barely keeping up with the workload, signaling that the project is at risk of falling behind. In this context, the word “barely” underscores the precarious nature of the project’s progress and the need for urgent intervention to prevent failure.
In the realm of customer service, a company may be said to have barely satisfied its customers, indicating that its performance in meeting customer expectations has been marginal at best. This could be a warning sign that the company needs to improve its service quality to retain its customer base and remain competitive in the market.
Overall, the term “barely” conveys a sense of limitation, constraint, or inadequacy that is relevant to a variety of professional contexts. It serves as a useful indicator of situations where there is room for improvement or where risks need to be addressed to avoid negative outcomes.
Question: Can you define what “barely” means?
Answer: “Barely” means just enough or almost not at all.
Question: How is “barely” different from “completely”?
Answer: “Barely” suggests minimal or slight, while “completely” signifies total or whole.
Question: Is “barely” a positive or negative term?
Answer: It can be both – positive when achieving something challenging, negative when lacking sufficient resources.
Question: How can one use “barely” in a sentence?
Answer: “I barely made it to the bus stop in time this morning.”
Question: Can “barely” be used to describe emotions?
Answer: Yes, for example, “She barely contained her excitement at the news.”
