Barely or Bearly Which is Correct? Barely is the correct word when you want to express that something is just sufficient or only just true. Barely means only just, almost not at all. It describes something that nearly didn't happen or something done with. As explored in our related documentation, Jerry Heller Net Worth Explosive Journey: Was It Worth Every Penny? which further elaborates on the core themes addressed in this section. It describes something that nearly didn't happen or something done with.