narrowly

narrowly — adverb

1. by a very small difference or amount, so that something unpleasant is only just

1.副詞B2
釋義

by a very small difference or amount, so that something unpleasant is only just avoided or something good is only just achieved.

例句

Talia skidded on the ice but narrowly avoided crashing into the parked van.

narrowly avoided + gerund/noun phrase

The Watanabe family narrowly escaped the mudslide that buried their neighbours' house.

同義詞
  • barely

    broader — 'barely' works for quantity and sufficiency; 'narrowly' is more specific to margins of success/danger.

  • just

    slightly more informal and shorter; 'just' can also mean 'only' which 'narrowly' cannot.

  • by a whisker

    informal, idiomatic. 'Narrowly' is neutral register.

反義詞
  • easily

    opposite outcome — 'easily won' means by a large margin.

  • comfortably

    implies a safe, wide margin rather than a close one.

文法句型

narrowly + avoided/escaped/missed/won/lost + noun/gerund

用法筆記

Frequently paired with verbs of avoiding danger (avoid, escape, miss) or verbs of near-success (win, lose, beat, fail).

常見錯誤

❌The bus arrived nearly on time.
✅The bus arrived narrowly on time.
💡'narrowly' means 'barely' or 'by a slim margin', not 'approximately' (that's 'nearly').

2. considering only one small part of a situation and ignoring everything else that

2.副詞B2
釋義

considering only one small part of a situation and ignoring everything else that is relevant.

例句

The report was criticised for interpreting the sales data too narrowly.

interpret + too + narrowly

Sade felt that her job description was defined too narrowly, leaving no room for creativity.

同義詞
  • restrictively

    more formal; emphasises constraints rather than scope.

  • strictly

    implies following rules exactly; 'narrowly' implies ignoring wider context.

  • literally

    focuses on word-for-word reading rather than limited perspective; narrower in usage.

反義詞
  • broadly

    opposite — considering the full picture or many possibilities.

  • widely

    taking a general, inclusive view rather than a restricted one.

文法句型

interpreted/defined/viewed/thought of + too/very + narrowly

用法筆記

Typically modifies verbs of thinking or defining (interpret, define, view, understand, read, focus). Often paired with 'too' to indicate excessive limitation.

常見錯誤

❌She looked narrowly at the painting' (meaning she examined it closely — that is sense 3).
✅She interpreted the rules narrowly.
💡use the verb 'interpret' or 'define' to keep the 'limited way' meaning clear.

3. in a very attentive and questioning way, usually because you suspect something o

3.副詞C1
釋義

in a very attentive and questioning way, usually because you suspect something or are not entirely sure about someone or something.

例句

The security guard looked at Gabriel narrowly, then asked to see his ID card.

look at + somebody + narrowly

Mayumi's mother studied the school report narrowly, searching for any sign of trouble.

同義詞
  • closely

    most direct synonym in this sense — 'watch closely' means the same as 'watch narrowly' but without the suspicion nuance.

  • suspiciously

    adds a stronger distrust element that 'narrowly' only implies.

  • intently

    focuses on concentration rather than doubt.

反義詞

文法句型

looked/watched/studied + somebody/something + narrowly

用法筆記

Modifies verbs of looking or examining (look, watch, study, eye, examine). The narrowed eyes are often literal — as people squint to see more carefully or to express suspicion.

常見錯誤

❌The journalist wrote narrowly about the scandal' (confused with sense 2).
✅The journalist watched the politician narrowly for any sign of a lie.
💡sense 3 is about careful/suspicious observing, not limited interpretation.