# barbell vs barely

> English confusable word pair

## The two words

### barbell
*noun · IPA /ˈbɑɹˌbɛl/ · frequency rank #44,078*
A wide steel bar with premeasured weights counterpoised at either end, with the central span open for the hands of the weightlifter.

### barely
*adverb · IPA /ˈbɛə(ɹ).li/ · frequency rank #3,041*
By a small margin.

## Source
Compiled from Wiktionary via kaikki.org (CC BY-SA). Data vintage: 2026-05-06.
Canonical page: https://plainspell.com/en/vs/barbell-vs-barely