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Barely vs Solely - What's the difference?

barely | solely |

As adverbs the difference between barely and solely

is that barely is by a small margin while solely is alone; exclusively.

barely

English

Adverb

(-)
  • (degree) By a small margin.
  • * 1748 , , Oxford University Press (1973), section 8:
    • It becomes, therefore, no inconsiderable part of science barely to know the different operations of mind,
  • * 1925 , Walter Anthony and Tom Reed (titles), Rupert Julian (director), The Phantom of the Opera , silent movie
    • ‘It is barely possible you may hear of a ghost, a Phantom of the Opera!’
  • (degree) Almost not at all.
    • The plane is so far away now I can barely see it.
    Yes, it is barely visible.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2011
    • , date=October 23 , author=Phil McNulty , title=Man Utd 1 - 6 Man City , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=In contrast to what was to come, City were barely allowed any time to settle on the ball in the opening exchanges, with Ashley Young prominent and drawing heavy fouls from Micah Richards and James Milner.}}
  • (archaic) merely.
  • * 1661 , , page 29,
    • Now that fire do's not alwayes barely separate the Elementary parts, but sometimes at least alter also the Ingredients of Bodies

    Usage notes

    It is grammatically a negative word. It therefore collocates with ever rather than never. * Compare You can find barely ever used items on eBay.'' with ''You can almost never find used items on eBay.

    Synonyms

    * (degree) hardly, scarcely * hardly, just, only just, scarcely

    Anagrams

    * English degree adverbs

    solely

    English

    Adverb

    (-)
  • Alone; exclusively.
    • The new chef was solely responsible for attending the grill.
  • * {{quote-news, year=2012, date=November 20, author=Nina Bernstein, title=Storm Bared a Lack of Options for the Homeless in New York, work=New York Times citation
    • , passage=This week, officials closed all evacuation centers but two on Staten Island. Now they plan to rely solely on hotels, even as they brace for a new wave of people displaced from storm-damaged housing where they are facing winter without heat or hot water.}}