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barely use vs barely used

Both "barely use" and "barely used" are correct, but the verb tenses are different. "Barely use" is present tense, indicating a current state of rarely using something. "Barely used" is past tense, describing something that was rarely used in the past.
Michele A. profile picture

Explained by Michele A.
Editor at TextRanch

Last updated: August 23, 2024

barely use

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to indicate a current state of rarely using something.

This phrase is used in the present tense to describe a situation where something is rarely used or utilized.

Examples:

  • I barely use my car since I started taking the bus.
  • She barely uses her phone for anything other than calls.
  • You can barely use a computer.
  • I barely use any perfume since I read the article.
  • Antiquated machine lubricant barely in use now.
  • Ever since they built that new connector, barely anyone uses that highway anymore.
  • Well, she has an inhaler, but she barely ever uses it.
  • Barely any words use Q's.
  • I barely remember how to use this thing.
  • Victor barely knew how to use a computer.
  • The Johnson Sea-Link - which you can probably just barely hear here, uses electric thrusters - very, very quiet.
  • And you barely know how to use your powers!
  • Scotty - boy's body was barely cold before your daddy decided to use him as bait.
  • He would find it, use it, unleash an inferno with barely any accelerant.
  • There's barely any information available on how to use them, and very little is said about how they are produced.
  • We have barely two months left under the German Presidency's new timetable and we have to put this time to good use.
  • Although in countries such as Poland and other CEEC similar approaches have barely got off the ground, the country is nonetheless already benefiting from the increasing use of appropriate, decentralised environmental technologies in the EU Member States.
  • Does the Commission know that few, if any, people in the UK ever use it, and that barely five percent even know about it?
  • Deplores the fact that the suspension clause, allowing an accelerated procurement procedure, is barely used by the Commission; requests the Commission to use this facility wisely in order to improve the timetable for the implementation of TA operations;
  • Deplores the fact that the suspension clause, allowing an accelerated procurement procedure, is barely used by the Commission; requests the Commission to use this facility wisely in order to improve the timetable for the implementation of TA operations;

Alternatives:

  • rarely use
  • seldom use
  • hardly use
  • scarcely use
  • infrequently use

barely used

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English to describe something that was rarely used in the past.

This phrase is used in the past tense to indicate that something was rarely used or utilized in the past.

Examples:

  • The old computer was barely used before it broke down.
  • The equipment was barely used during the previous project.
  • Everything is new and barely used.
  • Simple past and its use (if necessary as it is barely used nowadays)
  • It is east facing. The apartment was barely used.
  • Everything is brand new and barely used.
  • It includes the following appliances: air conditioner, refrigerator, washer dryer. The property is gasified and has two aluminum radiator and gas boiler VIESSMANN. The apartment was barely used and is good as new.
  • However I barely used that dictionary, thanks to Pleco.
  • The teeth seem barely used, which seems unlikely given the... muscular development.
  • It's like he barely used this room.
  • Whoever had this burner number barely used it.
  • Two pairs of designer shoes, barely used.
  • Your mind, it's so placid, straight-forward, barely used.
  • A dollar barely used to be enough for the jukebox in here.
  • I found out Valerie Bestin barely used her car even though she got her license back a year ago.
  • And that leaves only one law-enforcement agency in an understaffed, barely used office in a building where cellphones don't work.
  • If one goes to the barely used library near the Great Hall, there is a meditation room adjacent, that was always empty when visited.
  • It can't be your birthday, no disrespect, but you were born in the '80s and 8's barely used, so...
  • Your mind, it's so placid, straight-forward, barely used.
  • The medieval and early renaissance period saw the widespread adoption of newly invented technologies as well as older ones which had been conceived yet barely used in the Classical era.
  • If their elasticity diminish or if they are barely used, the skin grows old faster and gets flabby.
  • This kind of practice is in any case barely used by the company: less than 5% of all our denim production is submitted to this treatment.

Alternatives:

  • rarely used
  • seldom used
  • hardly used
  • scarcely used
  • infrequently used

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