Barely
Barely adverb - By a very small margin.
Mostly
Mostly adverb - For the most part.
Usage example: the weather this month has been mostly mild
Nearby Word: most
Both words in one sentence
- His father manages to keep house, but just barely and mostly through trial and error. Ms.
Source: Literature / Fudge -
The Quiet One: Setsuna barely speaks unless she has to, and even then she mostly just mutters.
Source: Visual Novel / Shiny Days -
Although she has worn a pretty large selection of shoes in her time as a celebrity, they are mostly strappy sandals without socks that barely conceal her feet at all.
Source: Does Not Like Shoes
Cite this Source
Mostly and Barely. (2016). Retrieved 2026, August 13, from https://thesaurus.plus/related/barely/mostly
Barely & Mostly. N.p., 2016. Web. 13 Aug. 2026. <https://thesaurus.plus/related/barely/mostly>.
Mostly or Barely. 2016. Accessed August 13, 2026. https://thesaurus.plus/related/barely/mostly.
Google Ngram Viewer shows how "barely" and "mostly" have occurred on timeline